Nuclear androgen receptors in prostates from diabetic rats.

It is shown that the binding of the synthetic androgen [3H] methyltrienolone ([3H] R1881) to the nuclear fraction of prostates of streptozotocin-diabetic rats is 38% reduced in comparison to controls. Although the exogenous replacement therapy of diabetic animals wih insulin was capable of restoring to normality several body and tissue parameters, the androgen binding capacity of prostate nuclei is not recovered. Normal binding values were observed in diabetic animals which have been treated with exogenous testosterone. It is postulated that the decrease in the nuclear androgen receptor content in the prostatic gland of streptozotocin-diabetic rats is due to the lower circulating testosterone levels in these animals.