Hormonal Effects on Spermidine Levels in Male and Female Reproductive Organs of the Rat

Levels of spermidine in male and female reproductive organs were determined after castration and after castration plus steroid hormone administration. Spermidine concentrations in the rat ventral prostate and seminal vesicle decreased after castration. Testosterone treatment of castrated rats restored the spermidine concentration to normal levels in the ventral prostate but increased the concentration in the seminal vesicle above normal levels. The early changes in amounts of spermidine and RNA in the castrate rat seminal vesicle in response to testosterone showed a very high correlation. The ductus deferens and seminal vesicle fluid contained low levels of spermidine. Estrogen treatment caused a significant increase in spermidine concentration in the ovariectomized rat uterus 24 hr after intravenous injection. In view of the reported in vitro effects of spermidine on nucleic acid and ribosomal structure, these observations suggest a relationship between spermidine and the synthesis of RNA and protein in castrate rat reproductive organs stimulated by steroid hormones. (Endocrinology84: 1461, 1969)