The intent of this conference is to bring together scientists of various disciplines who are in the forefront of research related to androgen physiology, metabolism and pharmacology. This conference was organized in response to an identified need to determine what is known about the effects of androgen administration on various target organs and to identity areas where new information is required. Scientists on the World Heath Organization Male Task Force, Federal Drug Administration Endocrinology Committee and Prostatic Cancer Task Force recently highlighted the fact that the precise effects of long-term androgen administration are not clearly known. They perceived that an international meeting, bringing together outstanding investigators, would provide a means to develop a full database of existing information and to highlight new areas for study. The program developed will include the topics of prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, the effects of androgens on lipids, the relationship of androgens to cardiovascular disease, and the actions of androgens on the fibrinolytic/hematopoietic system and on carbohydrate metabolism. The clinical effects of androgens on bone density and the lessons learned from the use and abuse of anabolic steroids will be discussed. Additional topics will include the effects of androgen on behavior, control of gonadotropin secretion and on inhibition of spermatogenesis. Questions will be devoted to the effects of androgens in supporting the process of spermatogenesis and spermatozoa function. A day will be devoted to the discussion of androgen metabolic clearance and turnover as well as the cellular and mechanistic effects of androgens. The pharmacokinetics of androgen administration will be discussed. Specific focus will be on androgen delivery systems including microencapsulated testosterone and cyclodextrins, the new androgen, 20AET-1; and methods of transdermal testosterone administration. All of the above issues are highly pertinent with respect to development of contraceptive regimens which involve suppression of gonadotropins with GnRH analogs and replacement of androgens via exogenous delivery. This meeting will be timely since the molecular biology of the androgen receptor has been under intensive study, cDNA clones for the androgen receptor are available and monoclonal antibodies for the receptor have been utilized in a variety of systems. Compilation of the material presented at this meeting in a critical, timely way will provide direction to investigators working in this field with respect to potential areas of investigation.
