Androgen

Abstract: The normal prostate and early-stage prostate cancers depend on androgens for growth and survival, and androgen ablation therapy causes them to regress. Cancers that are not cured by surgery eventually become androgen independent, rendering anti-androgen therapy ineffective. But how does androgen independence arise? We predict that understanding the pathways that lead to the development of androgen-independent prostate cancer will pave the way to effective therapies for these, at present, untreatable cancers.

Abstract: Objective: Our objective was to update the guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of androgen deficiency syndromes in adult men published previously in 2006. Participants: The Task Force was composed of a chair, selected by the Clinical Guidelines Subcommittee of The Endocrine Society, five additional experts, a methodologist, and a medical writer. The Task Force received no corporate funding or remuneration. Conclusions: We recommend making a diagnosis of androgen deficiency only in men with consistent symptoms and signs and unequivocally low serum testosterone levels. We suggest the measurement of morning total testosterone level by a reliable assay as the initial diagnostic test. We recommend confirmation of the diagnosis by repeating the measurement of morning total testosterone and, in some men in whom total testosterone is near the lower limit of normal or in whom SHBG abnormality is suspected by measurement of free or bioavailable testosterone level, using validated assays. We recommend testos...

Abstract: The LNCaP cell line was established from a metastatic lesion of human prostatic adenocarcinoma. The LNCaP cells grow readily in vitro (up to 8 x 10(5) cells/sq cm; doubling time, 60 hr), form clones in semisolid media, are highly resistant to human fibroblast interferon, and show an aneuploid (modal number, 76 to 91) human male karyotype with several marker chromosomes. The malignant properties of LNCaP cells are maintained. Athymic nude mice develop tumors at the injection site (volume-doubling time, 86 hr). Functional differentiation is preserved; both cultures and tumor produce acid phosphatase. High-affinity specific androgen receptors are present in the cytosol and nuclear fractions of cells in culture and in tumors. Estrogen receptors are demonstrable in the cytosol. The model is hormonally responsive. In vitro, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone modulates cell growth and stimulates acid phosphatase production. In vivo, the frequency of tumor development and the mean time of tumor appearance are significantly different for either sex. Male mice develop tumors earlier and at a greater frequency than do females. Hormonal manipulations show that, regardless of sex, the frequency of tumor development correlates with serum androgen levels. The rate of the tumor growth, however, is independent of the gender of hormonal status of the host.

Abstract: The sexual behavior of male and female guinea pigs from mothers receiving testosterone propionate during most of pregnancy was studied after the attainment of adulthood. As a part of the investigation, the responsiveness of the females to estradiol benzoate and progesterone and to testosterone propionate was determined. The larger quantities of testosterone propionate produced hermaphrodites having external genitalia indistinguishable macroscopicalty from those of newborn males. Gonadectomized animals of this type were used for tests of their responsiveness to estradiol benzoate and progesterone and to testosterone propionate. The capacity to display lordosis following administration of estrogen and progesterone was greatly reduced. Male-like mounting behavior, on the other hand, was displayed by many of these animals even when lordosis could not be elicited. Suppression of the capacity for displaying lordosis was achieved with a quantity of androgen less than that required for masculinization of the exte...