The steroidogenic enzyme CYP17 is responsible for catalyzing the production of androgenic precursors, while CYP19 converts testosterone to estradiol. De novo neurosteroidogenesis in specific brain regions influences steroid hormone dependent behaviors. In the all-female lizard species Cnemidophorus uniparens, individuals alternately display both male-like mounting and female-like receptivity. M...

CYP17 is a microsomal enzyme embodying two distinct activities, 17alpha-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase, essential for the synthesis of cortisol and sex hormone precursors, respectively. The two activities are differentially regulated in a tissue and developmental stage-dependent fashion. Leptin might play a role in such differential control. Low dose leptin caused a significant increase in 17,20-l...

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar o efeito do GDF-9 durante cultivo in vitro de folículos antrais iniciais caprinos isolados. Os isolados e selecionados foram cultivados individualmente por 18 dias, os seguintes tratamentos testados: α MEM+ (tratamento controle) ou α-MEM+ suplementado com 200 ng/mL GDF-9). parâmetros avaliados: crescimento morfologia folicular, produção estradiol...

OBJECTIVE To compare steroid concentrations and steroid product-to-precursor ratios in ovarian follicular fluid (FF) from women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and from regularly menstruating women in their early follicular phase, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Polycystic ovary syndrome involves abnormal regulation of the steroidogenic enzymes, leading to...

Prostate cancer (PC) is now the second most prevalent cause of death in men in the USA and Europe. At present, the major treatment options include surgical or medical castration. These strategies cause ablation of the production of testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and related androgens by the testes. However, because these procedures do not affect adrenal, prostate and other tissues'...

The widespread use of diets containing estrogenic compounds raises questions on how relevant the presence of phytoestrogens may be, in order to allow a correct development of the reproductive ability and sexual maturity in humans and animals. The isoflavone genistein is the most estrogenically active molecule present in soy. Here we show that genistein, through an estrogen receptor (ER)-mediate...

INTRODUCTION In the Japanese frog Rana (R.) rugosa the androgen receptor (AR) gene on the W chromosome (W-AR) is barely expressed. Previously we showed that incomplete female-to-male sex-reversal occurred in Z-AR transgenic female frogs. To date, however, there is no report showing that AR with androgens can determine genetically programed male sex fate in any vertebrate species. Here, we exami...

officially inaugurated in the early seventies by Richard Nixon, research priorities to identify and attack the main weaknesses of tumor cells have evolved, following the rhythm of technology. From the use of overtly toxic and undiscriminating drugs to the detailed annotation of cancers on a patient-to-patient basis through the use of “Omics” approaches, research has struggled in the search for ...

While androgen-deprivation therapy can induce dramatic clinical responses in advanced and metastatic prostate cancer, refractory disease (castration-resistant prostate cancer [CRPC]) eventually emerges. In recent years, several studies have demonstrated the importance of residual intratumoral androgens in maintaining androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional activity in CRPC. The cytochrome P450 e...