Dihydrotestosterone decreases beta-adrenergic receptor binding in the fetal rabbit lung

Tritium-labeled dihydroalprenolol was used to quantify the beta-adrenergic receptor sites in day 30 fetal rabbit lung tissue. Each of the fetuses of New Zealand White rabbits on day 28 of gestation was injected with dihydrotestosterone (2.0 micrograms) in one horn of the uterus and 10% ethanol in normal saline (the solvent) in the contralateral one. The animals were sacrificed 48 hours later and the fetal lung tissue was assayed. Dihydrotestosterone decreased the beta-adrenergic receptor site number in the treatment group compared with the control group (86 versus 111 fmol/mg protein, p less than 0.05 by paired t-test). In the presence of dihydrotestosterone, beta-adrenergic receptor binding is inhibited in the preterm fetal rabbit. This effect may be implicated in the beta-adrenergic mediation of phospholipid synthesis and/or release by fetal alveolar cells.