Sex hormones and metabolic function
Yanase, T.; Tanabe, M.; Nomiyama, T.
Nihon Rinsho. Japanese Journal of Clinical Medicine 73(4): 571-575
2015
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-1852 PMID: 25936143 Document Number: 681328
The biological actions of testosterone(T) and estrogens(E) are mediated via androgen receptor(AR) and estrogen receptor(ER), respectively. Testosterone also exerts its effect by conversion to estrogens by aromatase in peripheral tissues. Recently, from the detailed analysis of the phenotype of human or mouse mutant of AR, ER and aromatase, T-AR, E-ERs are protective against metabolic syndrome(MetS) and diabetes mellitus(DM). Both sex steroids are suggested to potentiate leptin signaling as a central mechanism and to suppress lipid synthesis and promote lipolysis as peripheral mechanism. Thus, the insufficiency of the amount or action of these sex steroids causes obesity and insulin resistance. Age-associated decrease of sex steroids is an important background for the onset of visceral obesity and life-related diseases.