Gender differences and effects of sex steroids and dehydroepiandrosterone on androgen and oestrogen alpha receptors in mouse sebaceous glands

BACKGROUND: It is generally believed that the sebaceous gland is an intracrine organ which synthesizes its own active hormones to meet its local needs. OBJECTIVES: To understand further the mechanisms of sex steroid action in mouse sebaceous glands. METHODS: We have used immunocytochemistry to examine the expression of oestrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and androgen receptor (AR) in mouse sebaceous glands. RESULTS: In intact males AR is exclusively localized in the nuclei of basal and mature sebocytes, while in females it is present at a lower level in both the nuclei and the cytoplasm. Three weeks following gonadectomy (GDX), a marked decrease of AR labelling is observed in male sebocytes, while no change occurs in female sebocytes. Treatment of GDX animals with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) increases AR expression, while 17beta-estradiol (E2) decreases the stimulatory effect of DHT and DHEA. ERalpha is detected only in basal sebocytes of intact females but not in males. Following treatment with E2, ERalpha expression becomes visible in GDX males while DHT and DHEA inhibit the effect of E2. CONCLUSIONS: The present data show gender differences and demonstrate that DHT, E2 and DHEA exert specific effects on the expression of AR and ERalpha in mouse sebocytes.