Campus Access Only

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of University of the Pacific. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Alterations in urinary levels of n1-acetylspermidine in response to castration and testosterone replacement therapy in the rat

Author

Andrew A. Lettes, University of the Pacific

Date of Award

1980

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Department

Graduate Studies

First Advisor

James Blankenship

First Committee Member

Marvin H. Malone

Second Committee Member

Donald Y. Shirachi

Third Committee Member

Herschel Frye

Abstract

Castration and testosterone replacement therapy served as a model to assess anabolic activity in the rat. The present study was undertaken to examine more closely whether changes in cellular anabolic activity are reflected in subsequent alterations of urinary N¹ -acetylspermidine excretion.

A sensitive fluorometric assay was employed which utilized the dansylation reaction . The dansylated derivatives were quantitated by normal phase high pressure liquid chromatography. This assay system exhibited a range of linearity from 0.1 to 10 nanomoles which encompassed the physiological variability observed during analysis of urinary N¹-acetyl spermidine.

The normal level of N¹-acetylspermidine excreted in rat urine was found to be 803.1 ± 208.9 nanomoles per day (mean ± 1 S.D.). In addition both N⁸-acetylspermidine and acetyl putrescine were detected, but not quantitated.

Due to the high variability of the polyamine excretion, no statistically significant difference could be detected between castrated animals, castrated animals receiving testosterone, and sham operated animals. Still some trends were noted which were in agreement with the hypothesis that urinary excretion of polyamines may reflect the anabolic state of the animal. Further studies will be required to determine whether or not a correlation between anabolic activity and urinary excretion of acetylated polyamines exists.

Pages

80

Recommended Citation

Lettes, Andrew A.. (1980). Alterations in urinary levels of n1-acetylspermidine in response to castration and testosterone replacement therapy in the rat. University of the Pacific, Thesis. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2024