Steroid receptors in the myasthenic thymus.
Estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), androgen (AR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) were evaluated in thymus cytosols from 15 myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, using a dextran charcoal assay. ER was found in 40%, PR and AR in 53% and GR in 100% of MG thymi. Competition studies demonstrated steroid specificity for all receptors. Mean ER and AR levels in MG thymi were higher than those in the thymi of 4 control children. Female patients have higher AR titers. Myasthenic thymi presented lower GR values than in normal controls: Differences in steroid receptor content observed in the MG thymus as compared to the child thymus may reflect variations in cell populations.
Brentani
M M
MM
Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil.
Martins
V R
VR
Marchiori
P E
PE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism; D011959:Receptors, Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism*
D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011959:Receptors, Estradiol; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011987:Receptors, Steroid