Effect of androgenic steroids on rat thymus and thymocytes in suspension

Shlomo Sasson*, Michael Mayer

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

57 Scopus citations

Abstract

Treatment of adrenalectomized-castrated rats with potent androgenic steroids produces marked involution of the thymus, while castration results in thymic hyperplasia. The androgen-induced thymolysis is not dependent on the presence of intact hypophysis, adrenals or testes. Cytosol prepared from whole thymi displays specific binding of [3H]-testosterone (Kd = 1.34 × 10-8 M; n = 21.7 fmol/mg cytoplasmic protein) and [3H]-5α-dihydrotestosterone (Kd = 1.54 × 10-8 M; n = 16.0 fmol/mg cytoplasmic protein). However, binding of androgens is markedly lower when binding is assayed with cytosol prepared from isolated thymocytes instead of intact whole thymus. Lymphocytes isolated from intact thymus and nuclei of these lymphocytes do not exhibit specific binding of androgens. Furthermore, androgens fail to produce cytolysis in isolated, intact, thymic-derived lymphocytes in suspension. Isolation of cells from the thymus is associated with an elimination of the non-lymphoid cells which exhibit high level of androgen binding. It is concluded that non-lymphoid cells which are eliminated during isolation of thymus cells are the targets for androgen action in the intact thymus.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)509-517
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Steroid Biochemistry
Volume14
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1981

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