title: Effects of the anti-androgen finasteride on 5 alpha-reduction of androgens in the presence of progesterone in human gingival fibroblasts: modulatory actions of the alkaline phosphatase inhibitor levamisole.
abstract: Oestrogens and androgens stimulate collagen matrix synthesis, while progesterone is a competitive inhibitor for the 5 alpha-reduction of testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The anti-androgen finasteride is a specific inhibitor of the 5 alpha-reductase type 2 isoenzyme, associated with anabolic functions. The aim of this investigation is to study the effects of progesterone and finasteride on 5 alpha-reduction of androgen substrates by human gingival fibroblasts. Monolayer cultures of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) of the 4th 9th passage were established in Eagle's minimum essential medium (MEM). Duplicate incubations were performed with 14C-testosterone/14C-4-androstenedione as substrates and progesterone (P) or finasteride (F), at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 3 and 5 microg/ml, alone and in combination, for 24 h. Similarly, the effects of the alkaline phosphatase inhibitor levamisole (L, 30 microg/ml) and P were studied. Steroid metabolites were analysed and quantified, using a radioisotope scanner. Progesterone inhibited DHT synthesis in HGF from 14C-testosterone by 24-62% (n = 8; p < 0.01). Finasteride caused 59 82% inhibition (n=8;p<0.01). The combination of P+F showed a similar degree of inhibition (68-78%) of DHT synthesis to that of F alone (n = 8; p<0.01). There was 35-56% stimulation of 17beta-HSD (hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) activity by P, F and P + F (n = 8; p < 0.01). When 14C-4-androstenedione was used as substrate there was 47% inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase activity at higher concentrations of P and 63 and 44% stimulation at 0.5 and 1 microg/ml (n = 8;p < 0.01). F and P + F caused 40-67% inhibition of this activity. P, F and P + F caused 2-2.7-fold stimulation of 17beta-HSD activity in response to all concentrations studied. L inhibited DHT synthesis from both substrates by 36-38%, with further inhibition of 55-70% (n = 4; p < 0.01), with P; this is suggestive of ligand-independent alkaline phosphatase activity mediated by 5 alpha-reductase. Inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase activity by finasteride in gingival fibroblasts is suggestive of target tissue anabolic functions in gingivae and competitive inhibition by progesterone, is suggestive of regulation of hormone mediated tissue responses during repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri-Lanka.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tilakaratne
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soory
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042944:Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018120:Finasteride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007978:Levamisole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000728:Androgens; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007978:Levamisole; D011374:Progesterone; D018120:Finasteride; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D042944:Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase