Effects of testosterone and estradiol on ratios of adult to fetal hemoglobin in cell cultures of human fetal liver.
The effects of testosterone and 17beta-estradiol on the synthesis of fetal and adult hemoglobins have been studied using a short-term primary cell culture system of human fetal liver at midgestation. There was a significant 23% increase in incorporation of 59Fe into adult hemoglobin relative to the total after the addition of 5 X 10(-8)M testosterone. 17beta-Estradiol (10(-6)M) lowered the incorporation of 59Fe by 21%. beta-Globin chain synthesis, measured as 3H- or 14C-leucine incorporation into globin chains, was identical in control and testosterone-treated cells and only slightly lower when 17beta-estradiol was added. For this reason the observed changes in adult hemoglobin resulting from the action of testosterone and 17beta-estradiol are caused by an indirect effect either in the final hemoglobin assembly or by small changes in the gamma/alpha-chain ratio which may be undetected by the methodology used.
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin; D007501:Iron