Human Osteoblast-Like Cells Express Predominantly Steroid 5α-Reductase Type 1
December 2002
in “
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
”
New to Finasteride? There is a guide in the encyclopedia. Read the guide → Studysummary This study suggests that in human osteoblast-like cells, the 5alpha-reductase type 1 isozyme predominantly catalyzes the conversion of testosterone to DHT, which may play a role in bone homeostasis.
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The study investigated the expression of 5alpha-reductase (5alpha-R) isozymes in human osteoblast-like cells (hOB cells) cultured from bone, using samples from six donors. It was found that these cells predominantly expressed the type 1 isozyme, as opposed to genital skin fibroblasts, which primarily expressed type 2. The study used selective inhibitors to determine the activity of these isozymes, finding that LY191704, a type 1 inhibitor, effectively blocked 5alpha-R activity in hOB cells, while finasteride, a type 2 inhibitor, was less effective. The research suggested that local production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in bone, catalyzed by 5alpha-R type 1, might play a role in bone homeostasis due to the presence of androgen receptors in bone cells.
