Developmental changes of esteroprotease and androgen receptors in the mouse submandibular gland.

The activities of p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester (TAMEase) and cytosolic and nuclear androgen receptors in the submandibular glands of male and female mice were determined at various developmental stages. In males, the activity of TAMEase was detectable at four weeks after birth, and thereafter it increased rapidly. Cytosolic androgen receptor increased gradually with age, whereas nuclear androgen receptor, which was minimal one week after birth, increased remarkably four weeks after birth. In females, the minimal activity of TAMEase was detectable at five weeks after birth and increased very slowly with age. Cytosolic receptor increased with age, but nuclear receptor level was unchanged. These findings suggest that the appearance of TAMEase was in accordance with an elevation of nuclear androgen receptor in mice submandibular glands.