Journal of Andrology Testis Workshop 2009
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Published-Ahead-of-Print October 16, 2008, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.108.005355
Journal of Andrology, Vol. 30, No. 2, March/April 2009
Copyright © American Society of Andrology
DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.108.005355

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Sexual Autophagic Differences in the Androgen-Dependent Flank Organ of Syrian Hamsters

ANA COTO-MONTES*, CRISTINA TOMÁS-ZAPICO{dagger}, JORGE MARTÍNEZ-FRAGA*, IGNACIO VEGA-NAREDO*, VERÓNICA SIERRA*,{ddagger}, BEATRIZ CABALLERO*, COVADONGA HUIDOBRO-FERNÁNDEZ*, CLARA SORIA-VALLES*, DELIO TOLIVIA* AND MARIA JOSEFA RODRÍGUEZ-COLUNGA*

From the * Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; the {dagger} Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" CSIC/UAM Campus de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain; and the {ddagger} Servicio Regional de Investigacion y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), Villaviciosa, Spain.

Correspondence to: Dr Ana Coto-Montes, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Facultad de Medicina, C/Julián Clavería s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain (e-mail: acoto{at}uniovi.es).


The flank organ of the Syrian hamster shows a biodynamic response to androgenic stimulation and is, therefore, a suitable model for the study of androgenic effects on hair and sebaceous glands. This organ is susceptible to programmed cell death (PCD), a prominent feature associated with sexual organ adjustment. In the present report, the type of PCD (apoptosis or autophagy) exhibited by this organ was evaluated. Caspase-3 activity, indicative of apoptosis, was not detectable in flank organ homogenates. Furthermore, cytokeratins, which are normally degraded during apoptosis, remained intact. On the other hand, Western blotting of Beclin 1 and light chain 3-II, both important autophagy markers, revealed autophagic processes in the flank organ in both sexes, especially in females. Cathepsin D activity, higher in males than in females, and procathepsin D expression were also consistent with autophagy and not apoptosis. Taken together, these data indicate that macroautophagy, and not apoptosis, is the main mechanism by which the flank organ responds to androgen. This is the first direct evidence establishing the relationship between autophagy and morphological changes in androgen-dependent organs.

     Key words: Beclin 1, cathepsin D, LC3






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