Murine Thymic Androgen Receptors

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Abstract
Studies in mice indicate that sex hormones influence the immune system. In general females are more iwunocompetent than males and the administration of androgens can suppress antibody formation in females. New Zealand Black (NZB) mice manifest a lack of sex difference in the production of certain autoantibodies and the failure of androgen administration to suppress these antibody levels. To further analyze this phenomenon, androgen receptors were studied in the thymus of NZB and a non-autoiwune strain (C57B1/6). Specific thymic androgen receptors were found in both NZB and C57B1/6 mice. The dissociation constant and concentration of specific dihydrotestosterone receptors was determined in thymic cytosol by Scatchard plot analysis. There were no substantial differences in the binding parameters between sexes and between strains. In conclusion, both autoinunune and control strains have similar high affinity thymic androgen receptors. Therefore, the imnune androgen insensitivity observed in NZB mice is not the result of a lack of high affinity thymic androgen receptors.