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Induction of increased testis growth and sperm production in adult rats by neonatal administration of the goitrogen propylthiouracil (PTU): the critical period.

We have previously shown that treating rats with the reversible goitrogen 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) from birth to Day 25 increases testis size and sperm production in adulthood by up to 80% and 140%, respectively. The purpose of this study was to determine the critical period(s) during development when PTU treatment can increase adult testis size and sperm production. Rats were treated with PTU beginning on Days 0, 8, 16, or 24 for periods of 9, 17, or 25 days. To further define the critical period, additional rats were treated with PTU prenatally or on Days 4-24. PTU treatments of 9, 17, or 25 days beginning at birth increased testis weight 18%, 38%, and 69%, respectively, by 135 days of age, while daily sperm production (DSP) increased 35%, 65%, and 94%, respectively. Efficiency of sperm production (DSP/g testis) also increased by approximately 25% in these rats. There was an inverse relationship between testis and body weights: increasing lengths of PTU treatment increased testis weight but decreased body weight. PTU treatment starting on Day 8 or later did not increase testis weight or DSP regardless of duration. Treatment on Days 4-24 increased adult testis weight and DSP similarly to treatment from birth to Day 24, but prenatal PTU treatment was ineffective. Testosterone concentrations were not altered in treated rats, even those with increased testis weight. These results indicate that the later part of the first postnatal week (Days 4-8) is the crucial period during which PTU treatment must begin in order to increase adult testis size and sperm production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Propylthiouracil reduces xenograft tumor growth in an athymic nude mouse prostate cancer model.

METHODS: Several anecdotal reports indicate that cancer may occasionally remain in a dormant state for prolonged periods in patients with hypothyroidism. Once the hypothyroid state is recognized and supplementation therapy with thyroid hormones is initiated, disease progression occurs. In this experiment, 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) was added to the water of athymic nude mice. The animals were subsequently inoculated with cells from a human prostate cancer cell line. RESULTS: The growth rate of subcutaneously implanted prostate xenografts was significantly slower in mice treated with PTU compared with mice that did not receive PTU. In a separate experiment, tritiated thymidine incorporation assays were performed in DU145 and PC3 human prostate cancer cells with and without PTU. No significant differences were observed, indicating that PTU did not exert any antitumor effect in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that PTU inhibits the growth of human prostate tumors in nude mice via an indirect effect. This antitumor effect may be caused by hypothyroidism. This is the first in vivo study suggesting potential therapeutic applications for thyroid hormone manipulations in human cancer of the prostate. Further studies will determine growth kinetics of xenotransplanted prostate cancer in vitro and in vivo. PTU-induced hypothyroidism may be further explored in conjunction with other antineoplastic therapy.

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