Abstract
The larynx is considered to be one of the target organs of male sex hormone.
Androgen receptors were estimated in cytosols of laryngeal carcinomas from 19 male patients. 3H-Dihydrotestosterone(3H-DHT) and 3H-Methyltrienolone(3H-R1881) binding proteins were assayed by the dextran coated charcoal method and specific binding was analysed by Scatchard analysis.
No binding proteins for R1881 were found in all 19 tumors. However, DHT binding proteins were found in all the tumors examined. The number of binding sites for DHT were 2.9-40.0 fmol/mg cytosol protein and the dissociation constants were 5.3-19.0×10-10M. The nature of DHT binding was examined with the inhibition test by utilizing several kinds of competitors.
Most DHT binding was found to be sex hormone binding globulin but unknown DHT binding proteins were also present in cytosols of laryngeal carcinomas.
These findings seems to show that no or very small amounts of androgen receptors are present in human laryngeal cancer.
