Adenosine triphosphatase systems in genital tract of testosterone treated male adult monkeys.

Studies on the distribution of Na+, K+-dependent, Mg2+ dependent and Ca2+ dependent Adenosine Triphosphatase (ATP-ases) in the testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostate glands of mature bonnet monkeys were carried out with and without Testosterone propionate (TP) treatment. Comparatively, the Ca2+ dependent ATP-ase was very active in the testes, caput and cauda epididymis and prostate of control animals. However, the Mg2+-dependent ATP-ase activity was predominant in the seminal vesicles. In all the genital tissues the Na+, K+ dependent ATP-ase exhibited low activity compared to other ATP-ase systems. On TP treatment at 1 mg/kg body wt. dose for 30 consecutive days to the second group of animals, all classes of ATP-ases drastically decreased in the testes, cauda epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostate. While in caput epididymis the Mg2+-dependent ATP-ase was stimulated, the Na+, K+-dependent ATP-ase was decreased both in the caput and corpus epididymis by the hormone treatment. The present study reveals the general inhibitory influence on the ATP-ase systems and thereby ionic transport after long term TP administration.