Ontogeny of the androgen receptor in rat ventral prostate during sexual development

Abstract

Concentrations of cytosolic androgen receptor, DNA and soluble protein, contents of DHT, and in-vivo uptake of 3H-DHT were measured in rat ventral prostates at 5-day intervals during sexual development. Regarding prostate weight two phases of growth were noted being separated by a period of stagnation from Day 40 to 45. Cytosolic androgen receptor, particle-bound DHT, and uptake of 3H-DHT into the 100,000-g sediment showed a clear pattern: a maximum in the prepubertal animal at age Day 20, a minimum at age Day 30 (4 days after the early pubertal rise of LH, testosterone, and DHT) followed by a second maximum on Day 55 (2 days before the beginning of fertility), and a second minimum in the young mature animal on Day 70. An intermediate peak seen at age Day 37 was not significant. Neither the time-dependent profile of the cytosolic androgen receptor nor the contents and in vivo uptake of DHT were correlated to concentrations of circulating gonadotrophins, growth hormone, and sex-steroids measured during puberty in the same strain of animals. Therefore, the regulating mechanism remains unclear.

Role of stroma in carcinogenesis of the prostate

“…This observation suggests that mesenchymal ARs (and not epithelial ARs) are involved in the early phases of prostatic development. Androgen receptors are initially detected in developing prostatic epithelium shortly after birth in the mouse and rat as the ducts begin to canalize (Moeller et al, 1987;Prins and Birch, 1995;Prins et al, 1996). Thus, the appearance of epithelial ARs coincides with later aspects of prostatic development.…”