A two-period, randomized, complete crossover study was performed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profiles of Testim (AA2500), a new 1% testosterone topical gel formulation, compared to AndroGel, an already available 1% testosterone topical gel. Twenty-nine hypogonadal subjects received a single dose (50 mg testosterone) of each formulation seven days apart. C(max) estimates for total testostero...

5Alpha-reductase 2 deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by lack of masculinisation in XY individuals due to failure to convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, the bioactive androgen. Traditionally, the testosterone-to-dihydrotestosterone ratio is used to diagnose this condition but interpreting these results is not always straightforward, thus they may be inconclusiv...

Polyglutamine expansion within the androgen receptor (AR) causes spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) and is associated with misfolded and aggregated species of the mutant AR. We showed previously that nuclear localization of the mutant AR was necessary but not sufficient for SBMA. Here we show that an interdomain interaction of the AR that is central to its function within the nucleus is ...

5-Lipoxygenase initiates the biosynthesis of leukotrienes, lipid mediators involved in normal host defense and in inflammatory and allergic disorders. Despite an obvious gender bias in leukotriene-related diseases (e.g., asthma), gender aspects have been neglected in studies on leukotrienes and 5-lipoxygenase. Here, we show that leukotriene formation in stimulated whole blood or neutrophils fro...

BACKGROUND Male pattern hair loss (MPHL) is a potentially reversible condition in which dihydrotestosterone is an important etiologic factor. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of the type 1 and 2 5alpha-reductase inhibitor dutasteride in men with MPHL. METHODS Four hundred sixteen men, 21 to 45 years old, were randomized to receive dutasteride 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 or 2.5 mg, finaster...

Using the synthetic androgen R1881 (17 beta-hydroxy-17alpha-methyl-estra-4, 9, 11-trien-3-one) as probe, we identified cytoplasmic androgen receptors in baboon myocardium. The relative binding affinity of selected steroids for the androgen receptor was R1881, 100%; 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, 32.6%; testosterone, 29.6%, progesterone, 7.2%; R5020, 1.0%; and estradiol-17beta, 5.8%. The androgen r...