Methylated CpG Dinucleotides in 5-Alpha Reductase 2 Gene Might Explain the Finasteride-Resistance in BPE Patients

The study aimed to determine the precise sites of methylated CpG dinucleotides in the 5-α reductase 2 gene and their correlation with the expression of 5-α reductase 2 protein in benign prostate enlargement (BPE) patients. The researchers found that 10 methylated CpG dinucleotides in the CpG island of the 5-α reductase 2 gene might lead to the silence of the 5-α reductase 2 gene and absent or reduced expression of the 5-α reductase 2 protein. This may partly account for the resistance to finasteride in certain BPE patients.