Responsiveness of Dupuytren's disease fibroblasts to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone.
OBJECTIVE
We recently showed that androgen receptors are expressed in Dupuytren's contracture. The aim of the present work was to test the responsiveness of Dupuytren's fibroblasts to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (5 alpha-DHT), the active form of testosterone.


RESULTS
Cultured palmar fascia cells from 10 patients with Dupuytren's contracture and 4 normal subjects were exposed to 5 alpha-DHT (10 or 100 ng/mL) for 1, 3, 7, and 15 days. Their phenotype was analyzed immunohistochemically for alpha-smooth muscle actin and androgen receptor expression and proliferation rates were studied.


RESULTS
At 15 days the higher concentration of 5 alpha-DHT induced an increase in Dupuytren's fibroblast proliferation, whereas anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin exhibited the strongest expression. At the same time point androgen receptor expression decreased with the lower concentration and disappeared altogether with the higher dose of 5 alpha-DHT.


CONCLUSIONS
The palmar fascia is a target tissue for androgen action via androgen receptors. Further studies are required to determine whether control of androgen receptor may control the evolution of Dupuytren's disease.
Pagnotta
Alessia
A
Institute of Orthopedics, University of Ancona, Ancona, Italy.
Specchia
Nicola
N
Soccetti
Andrea
A
Manzotti
Sandra
S
Greco
Francesco
F
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004387:Dupuytren Contracture / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000187:drug effects*
D000199:Actins; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone