Androgen Receptors in Laryngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

To study androgen receptors in normal and malignant laryngeal tissue, high affinity, limited capacity androgen receptors were assayed from the cytosol fraction of laryngeal carcinomas of 18 male patients and of nonneoplastic laryngeal tissue of 5 male patients. Immediately after removal, the samples were frozen with dry ice and stored at -70°C. a specific radioligand, [³H]methyltrienolone incubation and dextran-coated charcoal method was used. Five laryngeal carcinomas showed androgen receptors. the number of receptor sites varied from 1.6 to 4.2 fmoles/mg protein, and the dissociation coefficient (K_D) from 2.6 to 0.7 10⁻⁹ M. Androgen receptors stood at—70°C for at least 4-5 months. 13 laryngeal carcinomas were receptor negative. Nonneoplastic laryngeal tissue contained 1.0-10.5 fmoles androgen receptors/mg cytosol protein and their K_D was 0.2-2.1 10⁻⁹ M. This study indicates that some laryngeal carcinomas contain androgen receptors and these cases might be amenable to antiandrogen therapy.