title: Guanylate cyclase activity in male pattern baldness. Stimulating effect of 3-beta-androstanediol.
abstract: Guanylate cyclase (GC) activity was measured in the cytosolic fraction of sebaceous gland-enriched skin samples obtained from alopecic and non-alopecic areas of subjects affected by male pattern baldness. GC activity was significantly higher in alopecic scalp (7.13 +/- 2.7 pmol/min/mg prot; n = 22) than in non-alopecic samples (3.91 +/- 0.48 pmol/min/mg prot; n = 8). 3-beta-androstanediol was able to increase GC activity up to 15% when added to the incubation medium (1 x 10(-5) M). The regional differences observed should be due to the larger size of the sebaceous glands in alopecic areas. The higher production of dihydrotestosterone and 3-beta-androstanediol in alopecic areas may also contribute to determine the level of GC in scalp skin. The role of second messenger systems in sebaceous glands to understand certain aspects of the action mechanism of androgens is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Básicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Barcelona, Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Puerto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mallol
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000502:physiology*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000201:enzymology; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D012535:Scalp / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000187:drug effects*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
chemical_list: D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP