Estrogen Receptor-α Gene Deficiency Enhances Androgen Biosynthesis in the Mouse Leydig Cell

• Published in: Endocrinology (Philadelphia) Vol. 144; no. 1; pp. 84 - 93
• Main Authors: Akingbemi, Benson T., Ge, Renshan, Rosenfeld, Cheryl S., Newton, Leslie G., Hardy, Dianne O., Catterall, James F., Lubahn, Dennis B., Korach, Kenneth S., Hardy, Matthew P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Oxford University Press 01.01.2003; Endocrine Society
• Subjects: 17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases - metabolism; 17β-Estradiol; Androgens; Androgens - biosynthesis; Animals; Antiestrogens; Biological and medical sciences; Biosynthesis; Clonal deletion; Cytochrome P450; Cytochromes P450; Deletion; Enzymatic activity; Enzyme activity; Enzymes; Estradiol - analogs & derivatives; Estradiol - pharmacology; Estrogen Antagonists - pharmacology; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Estrogen receptors; Estrogens; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene deletion; Hormone metabolism and regulation; Hydroxysteroids; Hypothalamus; Incubation; Leydig cells; Leydig Cells - metabolism; Luteinizing hormone; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Male; Mammalian male genital system; Mice; Mice, Knockout; mRNA; Pituitary; Pituitary (anterior); Protein biosynthesis; Proteins; Receptors; Receptors, Estrogen - deficiency; Receptors, Estrogen - genetics; Receptors, Estrogen - physiology; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Serum levels; Sex hormones; Steady state; Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase - metabolism; Steroidogenesis; Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein; Steroids; Testosterone; Testosterone - biosynthesis; Testosterone - blood; Transgenic mice; Vertebrates: reproduction; Androgen; Deficiency; Rodentia; Transgenic animal; Biosynthesis; Testicle; Male genital system; Leydig cell; Estrogen receptor α; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Steroidogenesis
• ISSN: 0013-7227; 1945-7170
• DOI: 10.1210/en.2002-220292

Leydig cells, which produce the primary male steroid hormone testosterone (T), express the two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ERα and ERβ, and have the capacity to convert testosterone to the natural estrogen 17β-estradiol. Thus, Leydig cells are subject to estrogen action. The development of tran...