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Updated: Apr 22, 2026

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
Published on: March 2, 2011
Inverse relationship between hSHBG affinity for testosterone and hSHBG concentration revealed by surface plasmon
Laurence Heinrich-Balard1, Wael Zeinyeh2, Henri Déchaud3
1Université de Lyon, Lyon F-69000, France; ISPB Faculté de Pharmacie, MATEIS CNRS UMR5510, Université Claude Bernard Lyon-1, 8 Avenue Rockefeller, cedex 08, Lyon F-69373, France.
Abstract:
A wide range of human sex hormone-binding globulin (hSHBG) affinity constants for testosterone (KA_hSHBG) has been reported in literature. To bring new insight on the KA_hSHBG value, we implemented a study of the molecular interactions occurring between testosterone and its plasma transport proteins by using surface plasmon resonance. The immobilization on the sensorchip of a testosterone derivative was performed by an oligoethylene glycol linker. For different plasmas with hSHBG concentrations, an assessment of the KA_hSHBG was obtained from a set of sensorgrams and curve-fitting these data. We observed that KA_hSHBG decreased, from at least two decades, when the plasma hSHBG concentration increased from 4.4 to 680 nmol/L. Our study shows a wide biological variability of KA_hSHBG that is related to the hSHBG concentration. These unexpected results may have a physiological significance and question the validity of current methods that are recommended for calculating free testosterone concentrations to evaluate androgen disorders in humans.
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