Androgen-induced changes in nuclear pore number and in tight junctions in rat seminal vesicle epithelium.

The numbers of nuclear pore complexes and tight junctions were quantified in the seminal vesicle epithelial cells of castrated and castrated-plus-androgen-treated male rats, which received subcutaneous pellets of testosterone propionate (1 mg/kg body weight) for 1 week. Seminal vesicle weights were 0.284 +/- 0.02 g for castrated, 1.006 +/- 0.006 g for androgen-treated, and 0.918 +/- 0.04 g for untreated groups. Tissue samples were processed for light or electron microscopy and for freeze-fracture techniques. Nuclear areas were measured: controls were 279.34 +/- 8 microns 2; these increased significantly (P less than .001) in castrated-plus-androgen-treated rats (324.66 +/- 11 microns 2) and decreased (P less than .001) in castrated animals (173.14 +/- 6.3 microns 2). Nuclear pore density increased (P less than .001) in castrated-plus-androgen-stimulated rats (5.38 +/- 0.24 pores/microns 2) (control: 4.78 +/- 0.14 pores/microns 2), and decreased (P less than .001) in castrated rats (3.16 +/- 0.14 pores/microns 2). A significant (P less than .001) increase in numbers of tight junction strands that extended in the lateral cell membranes was detected in castrated-plus-androgen-treated rats vs. controls or castrated-only animals.