Original Article

Journal of Investigative Dermatology (1973) 60, 183–187; doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12724451

THE RESPONSES OF THE SEBACEOUS GLANDS OF THE HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED–CASTRATED MALE RAT TO 5alpha-ANDROSTANEDIONE AND 5alpha-ANDROSTANE-3bold beta, 17bold beta-DIOL

F J Ebling, Erika Ebling, Virginia McCaffery and J Skinner

Department of Zoology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, England

Received 31 August 1972; Revised 20 November 1972; Accepted 21 November 1972.

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Abstract

5alpha-androstanedione, in doses of either 0.2 or 2.0 mg/24 hr for 24 days, could not be shown to have a significant effect on sebum production in hypophysectomized-castrated rats as measured by increases in hair fat, although it did increase the incidence of sebaceous mitoses. 5alpha-androstane-3beta, 17beta-diol, in similar doses, significantly increased both sebum production and sebaceous mitoses. Previous studies have shown that sebum production in hypophysectomized-castrated rats can be significantly increased by androstenedione or 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, whereas the effect of testosterone is insignificant or at most only about one-fifth that producible in castrated rats with intact pituitaries. These findings are in keeping with the hypothesis that the action of testosterone requires its conversion to active metabolites at the tissue site, and that such conversion is pituitary dependent. The current results also suggest that androstenedione may either be converted to 5alpha-diols by a pathway other than through 5alpha-androstanedione, or that it is active at the target site without further conversion.

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References

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