Androgen receptors in rat testis

Testosterone (T) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one; DHT) are bound to specific cytoplasmic receptors (CR) in 105, 000 × g supernatant fractions of seminiferous tubules from hypophysectomized rats following the intravenous injection of [1, 2-³h]testosterone. CR is clearly different from the testicular androgen binding protein (ABP) by electrophoretic mobility, temperature stability and rate of dissociation of steroid-CR complex, but very similar to the cytoplasmic receptors of epididymis and ventral prostate. Under these labeling conditions, the nuclei of seminiferous tubules also contain radioactive T and DHT bound to protein. These androgen-protein complexes, which can be extracted with 0.4 M - 1 M KC1, have a sedimentation coefficient of 3-4 S. Binding of radioactive T and DHT to both cytoplasmic and nuclear receptors in vivo is specific for androgen target tissues and abolished by simultaneous injection of unlabeled T, DHT and cyproterone acetate (1, 2-α-methylene-6-chloro-pregn-4, 6-diene-17α-o1-3, 20-diene-17-acetate), but not by cortisol. It is suggested that receptors for testosterone and DHT in the seminiferous tubules are involved in the mediation of the androgenic stimulus to the germ cells.