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Skin Sterols

XII. Contrasting Effects of Certain Mercaptans, Amines, and Related Compounds on Sterols and Sebaceous Glands^*

( Department of Biochemistry, College of Agriculture, and Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin)

Alkyl aldehydes, alcohols, and acids produced an epidermal hyperplasia similar to that caused by the corresponding alkanes. In each case there was an increase in epidermal weight and in cholesterol without a change in ⁷-cholestenol or in the appearance of the sebaceous glands. This type of hyperplasia was also observed after the application of 3 mg. of octyl or dodecyl mercaptan.

The application of cyclohexylbenzene or of 3 mg. of n-octadecylmercaptan in ether produced a hyperplasia in which the amount of epidermal ⁷-cholestenol was decreased. Neither of these treatments produced a microscopically demonstrable change in the sebaceous glands. Larger doses produced gross structural alterations of the epidermis with a decrease in ⁷-cholestenol.

Alkyl amines 10 to 18 carbons long proved to be potent hyperplastic agents which also caused increases in ⁷-cholestenol. Thirty-mg. applications of n-octyldecylamine destroyed the sebaceous glands, while 3-mg. applications left the glands intact but still induced an increase in the ⁷-sterol.

^* Published with the permission of the Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station. Supported in part by Grant C-2177, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service.

We are indebted to Homer Montague for the preparation of these photographs.

Received 11/15/56.