Abstract
pecific 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) binding capacity (Bmax) has been determined for human skin fibroblast strains from nongenital areas of males and females (N=8), as well as prepuce and labium majus (N=9). Genital strains had a mean three times that of nongenital ones (32 vs. 11 fmollmg cell protein). There were no sex differences. Variation among strains was not simply correlated with donor age; that within strains was unrelated to in vitro age. The lowest values for genital strains overlapped the nongenital ones; those of the nongenital strains approached the limit of detectability. These results parallel those for Δ4 -3-ketosteroid 5α-reductase activity. Thus, serially cultured genital and nongenital skin fibroblasts express their relative differentiative ancestry as androgen target cells. This expression may affect the diagnosis of androgen insensitivity and certain inborn errors of metabolism; its variability is discussed in terms of clonal heterogeneity.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Krooth, R.S. (1965).Birth Defects Orig. Art. Ser. 1:21–56.
Pinsky, L., Finkelberg, R., Straisfeld, C., Zilahi, B., Kaufman, M., and Hall, G. (1972).Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 46:364–369.
Wilson, J.D. (1975).J. Biol.Chem. 250:3498–3504.
Keenan, B.S., Meyer, W.J., III, Hadjian, A.J., and Migeon, C.J. (1975).Steroids 25:535–552.
Keenan, B.S., Meyer, W.J., III, Hadjian, A.J., Jones, H.W., and Migeon, C.J. (1974).J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 38:1143–1146.
Kaufman, M., Straisfeld, C., and Pinsky, L. (1976).Clin. Genet. 9:567–574.
Meyer, W.J., III, Migeon, B.R., and Migeon, C.J. (1975).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 72:1469–1472.
Pinsky, L., Miller, J., Shanfield, B., Watters, G., and Wolfe, L.S. (1974).Am. J. Hum. Genet. 26:563–577.
Kaufman, M., and Pinsky, L. (1973).Lancet 2:1202–1203.
Schneider, E.L., Stanbridge, E.J., and Epstein, C.J. (1974).Exp. Cell Res. 84:311–318.
Scatchard, G. (1949).Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 51:660–672.
Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L., and Randall, R.J. (1951).J. Biol. Chem. 193:265–272.
Kahlenberg, A. (1969).Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 36:690–695.
Sibley, C.H., and Tomkins, G.M. (1974).Cell 2:221–227.
Pinsky, L., Kaufman, M., Straisfeld, C., and Shanfield, B. (1974).J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 39:395–398.
Kaufman, M., Pinsky, L., Straisfeld, C., Shanfield, B., and Zilahi, B. (1975).Exp. Cell Res. 96:31–36.
Moore, R.J., Griffin, J.E., and Wilson, J.D. (1975).J. Biol. Chem. 250:7168–7172.
Houck, J.C., Sharma, V.K., and Hayflick, L. (1971).Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 137:331–333.
Smith, J.R., and Hayflick, L. (1974).J. Cell Biol. 62:48–53.
Krooth, R.S. (1970).Symp. Int. Soc. Cell Biol. 9:43–68.
Jung-Testas, I., Bayard, F., and Beaulieu, E.E. (1976).Nature 259:136–138.
Esber, H.J., Payne, J., and Bogden, A.E. (1973).J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 50:559–562.
Smith, Q.T., and Allison, D.J. (1965).Biochem. Pharmacol. 14:709–720.
Davidson, E.A., and Small, W. (1963).Biochim. Biophys. Acta 69:453–458.
Nordbo, H. (1970).Steroidologia 1:65–72.
Bentley, J.P., Nakagawa, H., and Davies, G.H. (1971).Biochim. Biophys. Acta 244:35–46.
Ozzello, L., and Bembry, J.Y. (1964).Nature 20:80–81.
Nordbo, H. (1970).Steroidologia 1:246–250.
Imperato-McGinley, J., Guerrero, L., Gautier, T., and Peterson, R.E. (1974).Science 186:1213–1215.
Burton, K. (1956).Biochem. J. 62:315–323.
Kaufman, M., Straisfeld, C., and Pinsky, L. (1976).J. Clin. Invest. 58:345–350.
Griffin, J.E., Punyashthiti, K., and Wilson, J.D. (1976).J. Clin. Invest. 57:1342–1351.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kaufman, M., Straisfeld, C. & Pinsky, L. Expression of androgen-responsive properties in human skin fibroblast strains of genital and nongenital origin. Somat Cell Mol Genet 3, 17–25 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01550984
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01550984