Effects of a new 5α reductase inhibitor (epristeride) on human prostate cell cultures

✍ Scribed by Robinson, Emma J.; Collins, Anne T.; Robson, Craig N.; Neal, David E.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 150 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0270-4137
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0045(19970901)32:4<259::aid-pros5>3.0.co;2-e

✦ Synopsis

BACKGROUND. Inhibitors of 5␣ reductase (5␣R), the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), have been shown to retard the growth of hyperplastic prostates. This study evaluates the effects of the 5␣R inhibitor, epristeride, on cultured stromal and epithelial cells from benign, hyperplastic adult prostates. METHODS. [ 3 H]-thymidine incorporation was used as a measure of proliferation. Prostatespecific antigen (PSA) was quantified by ELISA and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS. Stromal cell proliferation in response to testosterone was dose-dependently inhibited by epristeride (1 × 10 -9 -3 × 10 -7 M, P < 0.05). However, epristeride had no effect on DHT-induced growth or the growth of androgen-unresponsive stroma. Upregulation of PSA secretion from epithelial cells by androgens was downregulated by epristeride (3 × 10 -9 M, P < 0.05) in testosterone-treated cells. Transforming growth factor ␤-1 (TGF␤-1) secretion was downregulated by testosterone treatment and increased following treatment with epristeride (3 × 10 -9 M, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS. This demonstrates that epristeride specifically blocks testosterone-induced effects on prostatic cultures. TGF␤-1 may be a marker of 5␣ reductase activity.