Pre-Receptor Regulation of the Androgen Receptor
November 2007
in “
Molecular and cellular endocrinology
”
Studysummary This study identified enzymes responsible for regulating androgen action in the human prostate, suggesting that inhibiting AKR1C2 or RL-HSD may have therapeutic potential in androgen insufficiency or benign prostatic hyperplasia, respectively.
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The study "Pre-receptor regulation of the androgen receptor" examined how enzymes AKR1C2 and RL-HSD regulated androgen receptor (AR) activity in the human prostate by converting 5α-DHT to inactive 3α-diol and vice versa. This regulation was crucial in conditions like benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. The researchers analyzed enzyme expression in 14 normal, 14 cancerous, and 6 BPH epithelial cell samples, as well as 15 normal, 16 cancerous, and 21 BPH stromal cell samples, finding significant differences in enzyme and AR expression. The study suggested RL-HSD as a potential therapeutic target for BPH and highlighted the need to explore these mechanisms in other androgen target tissues.
