New approaches for the treatment of prostatic hypertrophy and cancer.
The present study reports the effects exerted by 4-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (4-OH-A) on the in vitro metabolism of labelled testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and androstenedione (delta-4-A) in the prostate of adult male rats and in human benign prostatic hypertrophic (BPH) tissue. It has been found that 4-OH-A decreases the formation of DHT and of the diols. When testosterone is used as the substrate, the presence in the medium of 4-OH-A enhances the formation of delta-4-A and of 5-alpha-androstanedione (5-alpha-A); 4-OH-A does not inhibit the conversion of labelled DHT into the diols. Also, the transformation of labelled delta-4-A into 5-alpha-A is not modified by 4-OH-A. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that 4-OH-A might represent a potential new agent for the prevention and/or treatment of human BPH.
Zoppi
S
S
Department of Endocrinology, University of Milan, Italy.
Cocconi
M
M
Serio
M
M
Martini
L
L
Motta
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000728:Androgens; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D000735:Androstenedione