Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print October 16, 2008, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.108.005355

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Sexual Autophagic Differences in the Androgen-Dependent Flank Organ of Syrian Hamster Kept under Physiological Conditions

Ana Coto-Montes *, Cristina Tomás-Zapico , Jorge Martínez-Fraga , Ignacio Vega-Naredo , Verónica Sierra , Beatriz Caballero , Covadonga Huidobro-Fernández , Clara Soria-Valles , Delio Tolivia , and Maria Josefa Rodríguez-Colunga

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. 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 to study 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 LC3-II, both important autophagy markers, revealed autophagic processes in flank organ of both sexes, especially in females. Cathepsin D activity, higher in males than 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: Androgen • Hormone • autophagy • flank organ • lc3






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