title: Androgen receptor CAG repeat length polymorphism modifies the impact of testosterone on insulin sensitivity in men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Low circulating testosterone concentrations have been associated with insulin resistance (IR). Androgen action is mediated by the androgen receptor (AR) whose activity is modulated by a polymorphic CAG repeat sequence within exon 1. An interaction between testosterone and CAG repeat length (CAG length) with respect to IR has been described in women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated such a putative interaction between testosterone and the CAG length with respect to IR in men with normal glucose tolerance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 113 non-diabetic men calculated free testosterone, the CAG length, and a multiplicative interaction term were investigated by multiple linear regression analysis for an association with IR, as indicated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA %S).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age and body mass index, free testosterone, CAG length, and a multiplicative interaction term were significantly associated with IR (P=0.001, P=0.001, P=0.01 respectively). The model explained 36.6% of the variation of IR and predicted that in carriers with a CAG length of 23, changes in testosterone would only minimally affect IR. For CAG lengths longer than 23, however, an increase in testosterone would improve IR, namely the longer the CAG length, the greater the effect. In contrast, in the case of CAG lengths shorter than 23, the effect of increasing testosterone would be the opposite.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In men, testosterone and the AR CAG repeat length polymorphism interacted with respect to IR. The interpretation of the association between testosterone and IR seems to require consideration of the AR CAG repeat polymorphism.
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. matthias.moehlig@charite.de
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Möhlig
authors: Ayman M
authors: AM
authors: Arafat
authors: Martin A
authors: MA
authors: Osterhoff
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Isken
authors: Martin O
authors: MO
authors: Weickert
authors: Joachim
authors: J
authors: Spranger
authors: Andreas F H
authors: AF
authors: Pfeiffer
authors: Christof
authors: C
authors: Schöfl
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044465:White People
chemical_list: C410798:AR protein, human; D001786:Blood Glucose; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone