Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Context
Concern exists that androgen treatment might adversely impact prostate health in older men. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), derived from local conversion of testosterone to DHT by 5α-reductase enzymes, is the principal androgen within the prostate. Exogenous androgens raise serum DHT concentrations, but their effects on the prostate are not clear.Objective
To determine the impact of large increases in serum DHT concentrations on intraprostatic androgen concentrations and androgen action within the prostate.Design
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled.Setting
Single academic medical center.Participants
31 healthy men ages 35-55.Intervention
Daily transdermal DHT or placebo gel.Main outcome measures
Serum and prostate tissue androgen concentrations and prostate epithelial cell gene expression after 4 wk of treatment.Results
Twenty-seven men completed all study procedures. Serum DHT levels increased nearly sevenfold, while testosterone levels decreased in men treated with daily transdermal DHT gel but were unchanged in the placebo-treated group (P < 0.01 between groups). In contrast, intraprostatic DHT and testosterone concentrations on d 28 were not different between groups (DHT: placebo = 2.8 ± 0.2 vs. DHT gel = 3.1 ± 0.5 ng/g; T: placebo = 0.6 ± 0.2 vs. DHT gel = 0.4 ± 0.1, mean ± se). Similarly, prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen, epithelial cell proliferation, and androgen-regulated gene expression were not different between groups.Conclusions
Robust supraphysiologic increases in serum DHT, associated with decreased serum T, do not significantly alter intraprostatic levels of DHT, testosterone, or prostate epithelial cell androgen-regulated gene expression in healthy men. Changes in circulating androgen concentrations are not necessarily mimicked within the prostate microenvironment, a finding with implications for understanding the impact of androgen therapies in men.
SUBMITTER: Page ST
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3048323 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Page Stephanie T ST Lin Daniel W DW Mostaghel Elahe A EA Marck Brett T BT Wright Jonathan L JL Wu Jennifer J Amory John K JK Nelson Peter S PS Matsumoto Alvin M AM
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 20101222 2
<h4>Context</h4>Concern exists that androgen treatment might adversely impact prostate health in older men. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), derived from local conversion of testosterone to DHT by 5α-reductase enzymes, is the principal androgen within the prostate. Exogenous androgens raise serum DHT concentrations, but their effects on the prostate are not clear.<h4>Objective</h4>To determine the impact of large increases in serum DHT concentrations on intraprostatic androgen concentrations and andro ...[more]