Potential role of autophagy in behavioral changes of the flank organ

The flank organ of the Syrian hamster, which shows a biodynamic response to androgen stimulation, is considered a good model for studying the androgen effect on sebaceous gland and hair. This organ is susceptible to programmed cell death (PCD), a prominent feature associated with sexual organ adjustment. We have recently shown the first direct evidence of a relationship between autophagy and morphological changes in androgen-dependent organs. In this work, animals were stabulated (housed) for two months under control conditions and, after sacrifice, autophagy markers, Beclin 1 and LC3-II, were evaluated. The results revealed autophagic processes in the flank organ of both sexes, especially in females, and no detectable caspase-3 activity. Therefore, these data indicated that macroautophagy, and not apoptosis, was the main mechanism by which the flank organ responds to androgen. Here, we present additional data on the flank organ, showing that the intensity of autophagy between genders depends on the length of stabulation. These data could indicate a role for autophagy in response to behavioral influences. A possible explanation and its implication in Syrian hamster social defeat are discussed in this addendum.