ESTROGEN AND ANDROGEN RECEPTORS IN AORTA OF THE RABBIT AND REGULATION BY ESTROGEN AND ANDROGEN

This study was designed to investigate the sexual and/or regional dimorphism of the effects of estrogens and androgens on the aorta. Estrogen, estradiol-17 beta (E2) and estriol(E3), or androgen, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone (T), binding levels, and of effects of E2 and T on their levels were determined in aortas of the male and female rabbits. Priming with E2 affected estrogen binding levels of the male aorta, but the physiological condition with E2 plus T induced the levels of E2 and E3 receptors in the female aorta. DHT receptor level in the male was increased with E2 alone or with T, while a rise in T binding level was seen in the male and female primed with E2 and T. These findings suggest that there is a sexual and/or regional dimorphism in the actions of estrogen and androgen on their receptor synthesis in the aorta.