Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print July 3, 2007, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.106.002451

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Seasonal changes in urinary prostate-specific antigenic activity in male Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscaa fuscata)

Itaru Sato *, Atsuko Yoshikawa , Atsuya Ishiwari , and Keiko Shimizu

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: itaru-s{at}m2.ocv.ne.jp.

Abstract Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is usually detected in male adult urine, as well as semen, according to the Tanner stage development of males from birth to adolescence. In order to further study the pituitary-testicular axis in males, we determined urinary PSA levels in primates. Urinary PSA was detected using anti-human PSA monoclonal antibody in male adult macaques of seasonally breeding status. PSA activity in aseasonal animals (crab-eating macaques) did not change throughout the year, however, alterations in PSA activity were observed in Japanese macaques during breeding season, with the highest levels observed between October to January, the lowest levels between January and June, and a gradual increase in PSA activity observed from August until October. Although primate urinary PSA produces two polypeptide bands of approximately 55-kDa and 33-kDa, in addition to a band corresponding to human urinary PSA, the 33-kDa polypeptide band was less pronounced during non-breeding season in Japanese macaques. Urinary testosterone (T) levels in seasonal breeding animals (Japanese macaques) changed in parallel with urinary PSA levels. When urinary PSA and T levels were compared among animals during the breeding season (from October to February) and the non-breeding season (from March to September), significantly increased PSA and T levels were observed during the breeding season. Furthermore, PSA and T levels in a monkey housed in a cage placed between two female cages were elevated, compared to other monkeys. Increased PSA activity was observed concurrent with menstrual blood loss in females. These results suggest a link between PSA activity and testosterone levels, which may be influenced by changes in the female menstrual cycle. Key words: prostate-specific antigen; testosterone; urine; seasonal breeding; Macaca fuscaa fuscata


Key words: Androgen • Hormone • Prostate • Macaca fuscaa fuscata • prostate-specific antigen • seasonal breeding • testosterone • urine






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Copyright © 2007 by The American Society of Andrology.