Regulation of androgen and estrogen receptors in male excurrent ducts of the goat: An immunohistochemical study

Background: Since androgens and/or estrogens must bind with specific receptors in order to elicit a response at the target organ(s), it is important to understand factors that regulate expression of androgen receptors (AR) and estrogen receptors (ER). Hence, the objective of the study is to determine the relative significance between circulating andro- gen (CA) and luminal androgen (LA) in maintaining normal expression of AR and ER in male excurrent ducts. Methods: Mature Nubian goats were subjected for 15 days each to the following treatments: (1) bilateral orchidectomy, (2) bilateral orchidec- tomy and testosterone treatment, (3) unilateral ligation of the extratesticu- lar rete, and (4) unilateral orchidectomy. Tissues from different segments of the excurrent ducts were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and embedded in Paraplast-plust. Antigenic sites for AR and ER were immunolocalized using PG-21 rabbit antirat/human antibody and H-222 rat antihuman monoclonal antibody, respectively. The avidin-biotin horseradish peroxi- dase procedure was used to identify positive immunoreactivity. Negative controls included incubation of sections with irrelevant IgG in place of primary antibody. Results: In intact animals, whereas AR were found in epithelial, connec- tive tissue, and peritubular smooth muscle cells of the efferent ductules, regions I-V of the epididymis, and ductus deferens, ER were confined to nonciliated cells of the efferent ductules. Bilateral orchidectomy caused a severe loss of both AR and ER staining. Testosterone replacement to orchidectomized animals restored staining of both AR and ER to the intact level. Neither unilateral ligation of the extratesticular rete nor unilateral orchidectomy had any effect on AR or ER immunostaining. Conclusion: Circulating androgen alone, without any input from lumi- nal androgen or other rete fluid contents, can regulate expression of both androgen receptor and estrogen receptor. Anat. Rec. 250:164-171, 1998.