Increased aromatase activity in pubic skin fibroblasts from patients with isolated gynecomastia [Poster 47]

Aromatase activity (AR) was studied in pubic skin fibroblasts from 8 patients with isolated gynecomastia (PSFG) and 5 normal subjects (PSFC) by incubation in the presence of ³H]androstenedione (A) and isolation of aromatized metabolites. After 4 h of incubation, no E₂ formation could be measured in PSFC in contrast to low but significant amounts in PSFG 0.03 ± 0.02 (SEM) fmol/μg DNA, p < 0.01]. In addition, 16-OHE₁ represented 62.5% of total aromatized metabolites in PSFG versus 39% in PSFG. After 24 h, there was no significant difference in E₂ formation between the two groups whereas total aromatization remained significantly higher (p < 0.05) in PFSG; E₃+ epiE₃ represented 50% of the metabolites in both groups.