High abundance of testosterone and salivary androgen-binding protein in the lateral nasal gland of male mice

Abstract

To better understand androgen function in the mammalian nose, we have determined the levels of testosterone (T) in the olfactory mucosa (OM, which harbors the olfactory receptor neurons) and the lateral nasal gland (LNG, which is the largest anterior nasal gland) of C57BL/6 mice. The results indicated that, in adult male mice, T levels in the LNG were substantially higher than those in the OM and other non-reproductive or non-endocrine tissues examined, including liver, kidney, and brain. Furthermore, in the LNG, the high T levels were accompanied by high levels of salivary androgen-binding protein (sABP) and low microsomal T-hydroxylase activities. The high abundance of T and sABP in the LNG suggests not only that the LNG is a storage site for androgen, but also the possibility that unusually high T levels may occur in other organs that have abundant expression of sABP but low expression of steroid-metabolizing enzymes. Our findings suggest a critical need to determine androgen levels in various organs, as well as to establish the functional significance of an unusually high T level in the LNG, a gland known for its secretion of biologically active molecules, such as odorant binding proteins and immunoglobulin A, to the nasal cavity.