Androgens are steroid hormones that are secreted primarily by the testis, and testosterone is the principal androgen secreted. Its primary function is to regulate the differentiation and secretory function of male sex accessory organs. Androgens also possess protein anabolic activity that is manifested in skeletal muscle, bone, and kidneys. As a class, androgens are reasonably safe drugs, havin...

Benign prostatic hypertrophy is one of the most common causes of urological addressability because of the symptoms that rapidly and visibly decrease patients’ quality of life. Objectives: The authors analyzed zinc and androgen hormones status in patients with prostate disorders and Corresponding author: Dr. CSPI Ilinca Nicolae 030303, Sos. Mihai Bravu, no. 281, sector III, Bucharest, Romania e-...

The liver is morphologically and functionally modulated by sex hormones. Long-term use of oral contraceptives and androgenic steroids can induce benign and malignant hepatocellular tumors. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is more prevalent in men than in women. The role of sex hormones and their receptors in the development of HCC was reviewed. Some HCCs may be androgen dependent but others may b...

The estrogen receptor-related receptor alpha (ERRalpha) is an orphan member of the nuclear receptor superfamily that has been shown to interfere with the estrogen-signaling pathway. In this report, we demonstrate that ERRalpha also cross-talks with signaling driven by other steroid hormones. Treatment of human prostatic cells with a specific ERRalpha inverse agonist reduces the expression of se...

Neuroendocrine (NE) cells containing neurosecretory granules, rich in various peptide hormones and biogenic amines, are components of the human prostate epithelium and prostatic adenocarcinomas. Neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic adenocarcinomas has been associated with a poor prognosis and, following androgen withdrawal therapy, tumor cell populations have been observed to become enri...

To shed light on the nature and evolution of structure-function relations in the androgen receptor (AR), we have undertaken a comparative analysis of all available AR and other steroid receptor sequences. We have identified a group of amino acids that "diagnose" the clade of androgen receptors--residues that are strictly conserved among the ARs but not shared with other receptors. We hypothesiz...

Although many factors have been cited as the cause of acne, it has become apparent that hormonal inIfuences play a major role in its development. Hamilton (1) presented convincing evidence that testosterone propionate would produce acne in susceptible individuals and pointed out the absence of acne in eunuchs. It has been found, too, that the administration of ACTH and cortisone, both of which ...

It is well known that postmenopausal osteoporosis is related to severe decreases in the serum estrogen levels. Estrogen deficiency produces an imbalance in the bone remodeling balance which is associated with a reduced bone volume and higher fracture risk. Androgen deficiency also produces osteoporosis by directly affecting bone cells. In addition, androgen was demonstrated to be present during...

BACKGROUND Our independent cohort studies have consistently shown the reduction of the nuclear receptor RORA (retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha) in lymphoblasts as well as in brain tissues from individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Moreover, we have found that RORA regulates the gene for aromatase, which converts androgen to estrogen, and that male and female hormones regul...

Although hormones are key regulators of many fitness and life history traits, the causes of individual level variation in hormones, particularly in wild systems, remain understudied. Whilst we know that androgen and glucocorticoid levels vary within and among individuals in mammalian populations, how this relates to key reproductive processes such as gestation and lactation, and their effects o...