Androgens are important hormones that influence sebum production from the sebaceous glands. Human facial skin can be categorized as T- and U-zones, which are areas with high and low levels of sebum secretion, respectively. This study was performed to investigate whether there are topographical differences in androgen receptor (AR) expression related to regional variations in facial sebum secretion. The results of in vivo analysis indicated a statistically significant increase in AR expression in the sebaceous gland T-zones compared with the U-zones. In vitro experiments using human primary sebocytes also yielded similar results, with higher levels of AR protein and mRNA expression in T-zones. The results of this study suggested that differences in androgen susceptibility may be an important factor influencing regional differences in sebum production in human facial skin.
Keywords: androgens; face; sebaceous glands; sebum.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.