In vitro metabolism of dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone by canine hair follicle cells.

The metabolism of radioactive dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone was studied in dermal papilla cells (DPC) and dermal fibroblasts (DFB) derived from hair follicles from two different body sites (head, flank) of four male, castrated beagle dogs. Thin layer chromatography was used for separation, and autoradiography for identification of the radioactive metabolites. DHEA was metabolized mainly to 11 alpha-OH-testosterone and only to a minor extent to 11 alpha-OH-androstenedione and another unidentified metabolite. The highest percentage of metabolization of DHEA was found in DFB of the head. Testosterone was metabolized only to a minor extent (less than 10%) to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and epiandrosterone and there was no significant difference between either the two cell types or the two locations. These results clearly show that the metabolization of androgens in canine DPC and DFB is different from that observed in cells from the human hair follicle.