title: Preputial sebocyte 5alpha-reductase isoform specificity.
abstract: We determined whether the 5alpha-reductase (5alpha-R) isozyme specificity in rat preputial sebocytes is in accordance with that of sebaceous glands (type 1 isoform) or with that of other genital tract androgen-dependent organs (type 2). Immunostaining indicated expression of type 1 5alpha-R in preputial epithelial cells in the gland as well as in culture. Northern blots and ribonuclease protection assays both showed the presence of the type 1 isozyme in preputial sebocytes, with little if any expression of the type 2 messenger RNA. Ribonuclease protection assay demonstrated that both homogenized preputial gland and freshly dispersed preputial cells express 2-fold more 5alpha-R type 1 messenger RNA than does skin and 7-fold more than cultured preputial cells. Since cultured preputial cells do not fully differentiate in monolayer culture, these findings suggest that 5alpha-R is increasingly expressed as sebaceous cells differentiate. The predominance of the type 1 isoform in preputial sebocytes is important because it indicates programming by a skin- and sebocyte-specific signal in the midst of the genital tract where the type 2 isoform otherwise predominates.
authors.affiliation: The University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Illinois 60637-1470, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deplewski
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rosenfield
mesh_terms: D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004822:Epididymis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D011467:Prostate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase