Sex hormone regulation

Thavathiru E., Jana N. and De P.K. (1999). Abundant secretory lipocalins displaying male and lactation-specific expression in adult hamster submandibular gland cDNA cloning and sex hormone-regulated repression. Eur J Biochem 266, 467-476. 

Kudo, N., Katakura, M., Sato, Y., Kawashima, Y. Sex hormone-regulated renal transport of perfluorooctanoic acid. Chem. Biol Interac., 139 301-316 (2002). 

Testosterone promotes muscle growth deepening of the voice the growth of body hair and other male secondary sex characteristics Testosterone is formed from cholesterol and IS the biosynthetic precursor of estradiol the principal female sex hormone or estrogen Estradiol is a key substance m the regulation of the menstrual cycle and the reproductive process It is the hormone most responsible for the development of female secondary sex characteristics... 

In humans, most steroids function as hormones, chemical messengers that are secreted by endocrine glands and carried through the bloodstream to target tissues. There are two main classes of steroid hormones the sex hormones, which control maturation, tissue growth, and reproduction, and the adrenocortical hormones, which regulate a variety of metabolic processes. 

LOUKOVAARA M, CARSON M, PALOTIE A, ADLERCREUTZ H (1995) Regulation of sex hormone-binding globulin production by isoflavonoids and patterns of isoflavonoid conjugation in HepG2 cell cultures. Steroids. 60 656-61. 

Abstract Pheromones are utilized by many insects in a complex chemical communication system. This review will look at the biosynthesis of sex and aggregation pheromones in the model insects, moths, flies, cockroaches, and beetles. The biosynthetic pathways involve altered pathways of normal metabolism of fatty acids and isoprenoids. Endocrine regulation of the biosynthetic pathways will also be reviewed for the model insects. A neuropeptide named pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide regulates sex pheromone biosynthesis in moths. Juvenile hormone regulates pheromone production in the beetles and cockroaches, while 20-hydroxyecdysone regulates pheromone production in the flies. 

Additional evidence came from the finding that sex pheromone production could be stimulated in male houseflies that do not normally produce detectable sex pheromone components. Male houseflies were found to have longer chain alkenes, Z9-27 H,but did not have Z9-23 H. Implantation of ovaries into male houseflies resulted in a change in hydrocarbon biosynthesis such that the longer chain alkenes were not made but rather they produced the shorter chain length Z9-23 H [240]. Likewise, injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone into males induced sex pheromone production in a dose-dependent manner. These studies demonstrated that males possess the biosynthetic capability to produce sex pheromone, but normally do not produce the 20-hydroxyecdysone necessary to induce sex pheromone production. Males became an excellent model in which to study the hormonal regulation of pheromone biosynthesis in the housefly. 

An excellent experimental work (Benassayag et al. 1999) showed an overexpression of the genes regulated by sex hormones in leiomyoma tissue, such as in pregnant compared with nonpregnant myometrium. In leiomyoma tissue, like... 

Luster, M.L., Pfeifer, R.W. and Tucher, A.N. (1985). Influence of sex hormones on immuno-regulation with specific reference to natural and synthetic estrogens. In Endocrine Toxicology. (McLachlin, J.A., Korach, K. and Thomas, J., Eds.). Raven, New York, pp. 67-83. 

Das M, Agarwal AK, Seth PK. 1982. Regulation of brain and hepatic glutathione-S-transferase by sex hormones in rats. Biochem Pharmacol 31(23) 3927-3930. 

S. Yasuda, S. Itagaki, T. Hirano, and K. Iseki. Effects of sex hormones on regulation of ABCG2 expression in the placental cell line BeWo. J Pharm Pharm Sci. 9 133-139 (2006). 

Differences are also obvious if chemicals have specific mechanisms of action that affect gender-specific differences, i.e., as a result of interaction with hormonal regulation, specific damage to the sex organs, or adverse effects on organs in the development of the infantile organism (Kalberlah and Schneider 1998). 

Of the numerous hormones that regulate body function, two steroid hormones are extremely important estradiol, a female sex hormone and testosterone, a male sex hormone. Present in the body in insignificant amounts, they regulate sexual differentiation and reproduction as well as affect the performance of many other physiological systems. Despite the great similarity in chemical structure, they are very different in terms of physiological action. 

The male and female gonads, as well as the placenta of pregnant females and, to a lesser extent, the adrenal cortex, produce a range of steroid hormones which regulate the development and maintenance of reproductive and related functions. As such, these steroid sex hormones have found medical application in the treatment of various reproductive dysfunctions. 

While these steroids directly regulate sexual function, their synthesis and release are, in turn, controlled by gonadotropins — polypeptide hormones produced by the pituitary gland. The biology and medical applications of the gonadotropins are outlined in Chapter 8. Sex hormones produced naturally may be classified into one of three groups ... 

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