ANDROGEN RECEPTORS IN PROLACTIN PRODUCING PITUITARY TUMOURS IN RATS

Abstract

ABSTRACT The androgen receptor system in prolactin secreting oestrogen induced pituitary tumours has been studied. The tumour cytosol was found to contain specific androgen receptors binding [3H]5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and [3H] testosterone (T) with high affinity and low capacity. Scatchard analysis of the saturation data for T revealed one class of high affinity binding sites. The equilibrium constant of dissociation (Kd) was ∼ 4 × 10−10 m and the number of binding sites was calculated to be 12.8 femtomoles/mg protein. The sedimentation coefficient of the androgen receptor complex in low salt sucrose gradients was ∼ 7 S, the electrophoretic mobility (RF) in 3.25 % polyacrylamide gels ∼ 0.5 and the isoelectric point 5.8. The protein nature of the receptor was indicated by the finding that protease, but not DNase and RNase, eliminated androgen binding. Furthermore, the receptor was thermolabile and functionally dependent on free SH-groups since androgen binding was eliminated by heating 45°C for 30 min) and treatment with p-chloromercuriphenyl sulphonate (1 mm). Steroid specificity was tested in vitro by examining the competing efficiency of different unlabelled steroids for the binding of [3H]T. The affinity of DHT for the receptor was approximately twice that of testosterone while the binding affinity of oestradiol-17β and progesterone was very low. Cortisol had no affinity for the androgen receptor. The dissociation of the androgen receptor complex was very slow at 0°C (t ½ > 48 h). Thus, the characteristics of the cytoplasmic androgen receptors of the prolactin producing pituitary tumours are very similar to those of the androgen receptors earlier demonstrated in the anterior pituitary, hypothalamus, ventral prostate, epididymis and testis. The presence of specific androgen receptors in prolactin producing pituitary tumours indicates that androgen is involved in the regulation of synthesis and release of prolactin.