Androgen metabolism in rat anterior pituitary cells in culture.
The metabolism in vitro of 4 androgens, namely testosterone, androstenedione, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and 3 alpha-androstanediol has been studied in male and female rat anterior pituitary cells in primary culture. When testosterone was used as precursor, androstenedione, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and 3 alpha-androstanediol were the main metabolites whereas androstendione was mainly converted into testosterone, 5 alpha-androstanedione, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and androsterone. Studies on the metabolism of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and 3 alpha-androstanediol showed that these compounds were easily interconverted and were also significantly metabolized to 5 alpha-androstanedione and androsterone. No aromatized compounds could be detected suggesting that androgen action in the pituitary cell occurs directly via the androgen receptor rather than through prior conversion into estrogens.
D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000732:Androstanols / Q000378:metabolism; D000734:Androstenediols / Q000378:metabolism; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
D000728:Androgens; D000732:Androstanols; D000734:Androstenediols; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione