A Study of The Enzyme Acid Phosphatase and its Possible Role in Intermediary Carbohydrate Metabolism of the Prostate Gland and its Secretion in Dog and Man

Abstract

Analysis for phosphorylated esters and related compounds in both the tissues and the secretions of the prostate of dog and man showed the presence of: adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, adenylic acid, pentose phosphate, phosphocreatine, phospho-pyruvic acid and phosphoglyceric acid. In dog prostate and its secretion,glucose-l-phosphate and glucose-6-phosphate were the phosphorylated hexoses, whereas in the human prostate and ejaculate, fructose-6-phosphate and fructose-1,6-diphosphate were found. Vascular perfusion of phosphorylated carbohydrate intermediary compounds through the dog prostate was noted. Under the conditions of perfusion, major hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate and minor hydrolysis of glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate and fructose-1, 6-diphosphate were observed. A method of purifying acid phosphatase from human ejaculate is described. The hydrolytic action of this preparation on phosphorylated intermediaries and phosphoryl-choline was compared with that of seminal plasma. The action was similar except on phosphorylcholine, which the purified enzyme failed to hydrolyze. Hence more than one acid phosphatase is presumed to exist in ejaculate.