Expression of I2-imidazoline sites in rat prostate. Effect of castration and aging
Clonidine, idazoxan, and related imidazoline adrenergic drugs bind to non-adrenergic sites in brain and several peripheral tissues. These sites, termed imidazoline receptors, appear to exist in two major subclasses, I1 sites labeled by clonidine and I2 sites labeled by idazoxan. In this study, we investigated whether rat prostate expresses imidazoline receptors and, if so, whether their expression can be regulated by circulating testosterone. Studies in rat ventral prostate membrane revealed that [3H]idazoxan, but not [3H]p-aminoclonidine, bound to non-adrenergic sites.