TY - JOUR
T1 - Androgens increase insulin receptor mRNA levels, insulin binding, and insulin responsiveness in HEp-2 larynx carcinoma cells
AU - Sesti, Giorgio
AU - Marini, Maria Adelaide
AU - Briata, Paola
AU - Tullio, Antonella Nadia
AU - Montemurro, Antonio
AU - Borboni, Patrizia
AU - De Pirro, Roberto
AU - Gherzi, Roberto
AU - Lauro, Renato
PY - 1992
Y1 - 1992
N2 - Androgen receptors have been found in human larynx and androgens have been supposed to play an important role in promoting the growth of laryngeal carcinomas. The molecular mechanism underlaying this phenomenon is not at all understood. Aim of this work was to investigate the effects of two androgens (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone) on insulin receptor mRNA levels and insulin binding activity as well as on either metabolic or growth-promoting actions of insulin in a human larynx carcinoma cell line (HEp-2). We found that HEp-2 cells express a high affinity insulin receptor. Both androgens significantly increase insulin receptor mRNA levels and insulin receptor number in HEp-2 cells. Insulin action, evaluated either as total glucose utilization or as [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, significantly increased in HEp-2 treated with androgens in comparison to control cultures. Altogether, our data allow us to speculate that the increased insulin effectiveness we observed in the larynx carcinoma cell line HEp-2 after androgen treatment might be involved in the regulation of larynx cancer cells growth.
AB - Androgen receptors have been found in human larynx and androgens have been supposed to play an important role in promoting the growth of laryngeal carcinomas. The molecular mechanism underlaying this phenomenon is not at all understood. Aim of this work was to investigate the effects of two androgens (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone) on insulin receptor mRNA levels and insulin binding activity as well as on either metabolic or growth-promoting actions of insulin in a human larynx carcinoma cell line (HEp-2). We found that HEp-2 cells express a high affinity insulin receptor. Both androgens significantly increase insulin receptor mRNA levels and insulin receptor number in HEp-2 cells. Insulin action, evaluated either as total glucose utilization or as [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, significantly increased in HEp-2 treated with androgens in comparison to control cultures. Altogether, our data allow us to speculate that the increased insulin effectiveness we observed in the larynx carcinoma cell line HEp-2 after androgen treatment might be involved in the regulation of larynx cancer cells growth.
KW - Androgen
KW - HEp-2 larynx carcinoma
KW - Insulin action
KW - Insulin receptor gene
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026741001&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0026741001&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0303-7207(92)90181-5
DO - 10.1016/0303-7207(92)90181-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 1511777
AN - SCOPUS:0026741001
VL - 86
SP - 111
EP - 118
JO - Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
JF - Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
SN - 0303-7207
IS - 1-2
ER -