Reproductive hormones control striatal tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the male rat.

The effects of castration, hypophysectomy and testosterone treatment on striatal tyrosine hydroxylase (TOH) activity were examined in male rats. Enzyme activity was measured by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of L-3,4-dihydroxphenylalanine (DOPA) formed. Serum levels of both testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Castration, but not hypophysectomy, reduced TOH activity in the striatum. The administration of testosterone propionate (TP) to castrated animals in a dose of 10 micrograms/100 g b.wt. during the two days previous to sacrifice, completely prevented the castration-induced reduction of striatal TOH activity. In orchidectomized rats treated with different doses of testosterone propionate (TP) up to 20 micrograms/100 g b.wt., the levels of striatal TOH activity were apparently related to either the dose-related increase of serum testosterone or the decrease of serum LH. Higher doses of the androgen failed to further modify striatal TOH activity, in spite of the dose-related elevation of serum testosterone concentration. These results suggest that circulating levels of gonadal and/or pituitary hormones partially control dopaminergic synthesis in striatal terminals, which in turn may account for some behavioral effects of reproductive hormones.