Androgen Receptor Characteristics in Skin Fibroblasts from Hirsute Women

Hormonal measurements in some women with hirsutism often reveal little or no elevation in androgen levels to explain the disorder. Thus, it has been postulated that increased sensitivity of the hair follicle to androgen may contribute to the development of hirsutism in such patients. We, therefore, sought androgen receptor abnormalities in skin fibroblasts cultured from 10 hirsute women (ages 17–43) and normal or mildly elevated plasma testosterone levels (28–82 ng/dl). Androgen receptor content (Ro) and binding affinity (Kd) in cultured pubic skin fibroblasts were measured using a dispersed, whole cell assay. Ten such cell lines from these women were compared with 19 pubic skin cell lines from 9 normal volunteers (6 males and 3 females) and from 10 other subjects (males with gynecomastia or hypospadias). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean androgen receptor content (11,600 ± 2700 (SE) sites/cell fibroblasts vs 7900 ± 700 sites/cell or binding affinity (2.0 ± 0.3 (SE) × 10[sup-9] M vs 1.5 ± 0.2 × 10-9 M, respectively) between the patients' fibroblasts and those of the controls.We conclude that hirsutism cannot be explained by abnormalities in fibroblast androgen receptor number or affinity. These observations do not exclude the possibility that other mechanisms might lead to increased peripheral androgen sensitivity in such patients

Global clinical response in C ushing's syndrome patients treated with mifepristone

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106755/1/cen12332.pd

Adrenal Function in Women with Idiopathic Acne

The adrenal secretion of androgens was examined in 9 women (ages 19–39 yr) with postadolescent idiopathic acne and compared to age and sex-matched normal controls. Plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS), androstenedione (Δ4-A), cortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, 11-deoxycortisol, and testosterone were measured by radioimmunoassay in the basal state and during a 48hr ACTH infusion. The mean plasma and time-integrated plasma levels of the 3 adrenal androgens in patients with acne were 15–25% higher than normal controls, but the groups were not significantly different (p > .05). The plasma testosterone values, on the other hand, were similar in both groups. In addition, cortisol, 11-deoxycortisol and 17-hydroxyprogesterone basal plasma values and responses to ACTH in patients with acne were similar to the normal control values. These findings suggest that adrenal androgen secretion is at most mildly elevated in patients with idiopathic acne and is unlikely to be the sole cause of acne since many patients without acne have similar hormone levels. Increased sensitivity of the sebaceous gland to androgens or increased local metabolism of androgen hormones in the skin to potent androgen metabolites may offer alternative mechanisms for the pathogenesis of this disorder

Improved Quality of Life After Bilateral Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy for Cushing's Disease: A 10-Year Experience

Bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy for refractory Cushing's disease is a safe and effective treatment option. The majority of patients experience considerable improvement in their Cushing's disease symptoms, and their quality of life equals that of patients initially cured by transsphenoidal pituitary tumor resection