Responses of staphylococci to androgens.

The reported regulatory activities of hormones on mammalian cells suggest that a hormonal effect may be of importance in the host-parasite relationship of staphylococci. Male 6-month-old rabbits of similar genetic constitution were given subcutaneously 20 mug of androgens in saline containing 1% ethyl alcohol. Control rabbits received 1% ethyl alcohol in saline. At 5 to 10 min after administration of androgens, the rabbits were bled by cardiac puncture, and the serum was separated and incubated with standardized suspensions of Staphylococcus aureus serotypes I to XIII. It was found that S. aureus grew more luxuriantly in the sera of the control rabbits than in the sera of androgen-treated animals. With tryptic soy broth as a culture medium, a concentration 150- to 300-fold (30 to 40 mug/ml) higher than that achieved in the blood of an androgen-treated rabbit was required to yield an equivalent effect. In addition, the androgen-staphylococcal interaction has been studied with regard to experimentally induced furunculosis, the uptake of androgens by staphylococci and steroid molecular structure and antimicrobial activity. The data indicate that androgens may play a role in protection against staphylococcal infection.