title: Hormonal regulation of androgen receptor messenger ribonucleic acid expression in human tooth pulp.
abstract: Tooth pulp contains steroid receptors and therefore is likely to respond to steroids. Steroids and cytokines together can alter steroid receptor content in many tissues; thus, similar mechanisms may exist in tooth pulp. In this study, reverse-transcription/polymerase chain-reaction was used to screen human pulp for the mRNAs encoding receptors for androgen (AR), estrogens (ERbeta), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF: c-Met). AR mRNA content was greater in male pulp vs. female pulp in all age groups. In both genders, AR mRNA content diminished with age. In pulp cell cultures, androstenedione, estradiol-17beta, and HGF each stimulated AR mRNA accumulation. Testosterone inhibited, whereas 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone did not affect, AR mRNA content. ERbeta was not hormonally altered in pulp cell cultures. By showing steroid- and cytokine-orchestrated regulation of AR mRNA in vitro, it is possible that age- and/or pathogen-dependent changes in available steroids and cytokines can affect any androgen-responsiveness of pulp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, St. Louis University Center for Advanced Dental Education, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Sarich
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bretz
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hatton
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zachow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000502:physiology; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D006728:Hormones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met