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Regulation of androgen receptor protein and mRNA concentrations by androgens in rat ventral prostate and seminal vesicles and in human hepatoma cells.

The effects of androgen withdrawal and replacement on the concentrations of androgen receptor (AR) protein and AR mRNA were investigated in rat ventral prostate and seminal vesicles and in cultured human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. AR mRNA concentrations were determined by Northern blotting with single stranded AR cRNA as the hybridization probe, whereas antibodies raised against two synthetic 17-amino acid long peptides corresponding to the N-terminal and steroid-binding regions of the AR were employed in immunological receptor assays. AR mRNA levels in both prostate and seminal vesicles increased about 2-fold within 24 h after castration and continued to rise within the next 48 h to values that were 9- to 11-fold higher than those in intact controls. Administration of pharmacological doses of testosterone (400 micrograms steroid/day) to 1-day castrated animals for 24-48 h brought about a decrease in AR mRNA levels in accessory sex organs to levels in intact controls. Similar results were obtained in cultured HepG2 cells where a switch to serum- and steroid-free medium elicited a rapid increase (approximately 4-fold in 10 h) in the AR mRNA level, which was prevented by inclusion of 10(-7) M testosterone in culture medium. Similar, but quantitatively less marked, changes occurred in the AR protein concentration in prostate, seminal vesicles, and HepG2 cells, as determined by immunoblotting using antibodies against AR peptides. In addition, immunohistochemical studies showed that AR is a nuclear protein of the prostatic epithelial cells in both intact and castrated rats, and suggested that short term castration increases the concentration of nuclear AR in the prostate. Taken together, these data indicate that androgens down-regulate the concentration of AR protein and AR mRNA in a variety of target tissues.

Animals↗

Production of androgens by microbial transformation of progesterone in vitro: a model for androgen production in rivers.

We have previously documented the presence of progesterone and androstenedione in the water column and bottom sediments of the Fenholloway River, Taylor County, Florida. This river receives paper mill effluent and contains masculinized female mosquitofish. We hypothesized that plant sterols (e.g., ss-sitosterol) derived from the pulping of pine trees are transformed by bacteria into progesterone and subsequently into 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and other androgens. In this study, we demonstrate that these same androgens can be produced in vitro from the bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis. In a second part to this study, we reextracted and reanalyzed the sediment from the Fenholloway River and verified the presence of androstadienedione, a delta1 steroid with androgen activity.

Androgens↗

Androgen-receptor coregulators mediate the suppressive effect of androgen signals on vitamin D receptor activity.

Overexpression of androgen receptors (AR) in PC-3 cell, and treatment of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone in LNCaP cells lead to the suppression of VDR transactivation. Competition for shared coregulators between AR and VDR is one possible mechanism to explain the suppressive effect of androgen-AR signals on VDR activity. Among the AR coregulators we tested, ARA54, ARA70, supervillin, and gelsolin were found to enhance VDR transactivation. Further characterization of the interaction between ARA54 or ARA70 and VDR demonstrated a direct interaction between VDR and ARA70, but no association between ARA54 and VDR. The LXXLL motif of ARA70 is essential for interaction with VDR and partially responsible for its function as a coactivator of VDR. The suppression of VDR transactivation by AR signal was restored by overexpression of ARA70, but not ARA54. Together, ARA70 and ARA54 modulate VDR transactivation, and the competition for ARA70 mediates the suppressive effect of androgen-AR on VDR transactivation.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

The effect of sexual activity on androgen metabolism, androgen-receptor translocation, and glandular weight of ventral prostates of rats.

The present study was conducted to determine whether sexual activity exerts an effect on the action of androgen in the rat prostate. Eight-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into two groups. Rats were grouped with female rats (sexualactive), or male (sexual-inactive) rats, and sacrificed 6 months later, The ventral prostates were dissected, homogenized and processed into cytosol and nuclei fractions. Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were quantified by radioimmunoassay, and androgen receptor was determined by 'exchange assay' with radioactive methyltrienolone incubated for 18 h at 15 degrees C. The main result were: 1) The steroid levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in plasma and in the cytosolic fraction of prostate showed no significant difference between the two group of rats. 2) The prostatic nuclear dihydrotestosterone concentration of the sexual-active group (4.3 +/- 0.83 pmol/mg DNA, N = 6) was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) than that of the sexual-inactive group (1.68 +/- 0.43, N = 6). 3) The androgen receptor was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in nuclear extract (0.64 +/- 0.11 pmol/mg DNA, N = 6) and significantly lower (P less than 0.01) in cytosol (53.4 +/- 5.7 fmol/mg protein, N = 6) of the sexual-active group than those of the sexual inactive group (0.42 +/- 0.13, N = 6 and 74.6 +/- 11.8, N = 6, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Association of glucocorticoid receptors with prostate nuclear sites for androgen receptors and with androgen response elements.

Ventral prostate glands of intact normal rats contained low levels (2500 molecules/cell) of high-affinity (dissociation constant (Kd) 0.57 nmol/l) glucocorticoid receptors (GR). Levels of GR increased 2.8-fold 1 day after castration, and 4.3-fold 3 days after castration. Nuclear GR increased from a normal value of 1150 molecules/nucleus to 5200 molecules/nucleus 3 days after castration. The greater increase in intranuclear GR was in that associated with oligomeric chromatin. Although nuclear GR never approached the normal population of nuclear androgen receptors (AR; approximately 16000 molecules/nucleus), the selective rise in chromatin-associated receptors ensured that almost 60% of chromatin sites remained occupied. GR associated with prostate nuclear structures in a similar manner to AR, and exogenous GR bound saturably and with high affinity (Kd 100 pmol/l) to a similar number of sites as did AR. Both steroid receptors apparently competed for the same sites. In DNA-cellulose competition analyses, synthetic oligonucleotides containing glucocorticoid response elements or putative androgen response elements competed similarly against immobilized non-specific DNA for both AR and GR. In view of these data and information from other sources, it is probable that the role of GR in the prostate should be assessed with a view to understanding its action under conditions of androgen deprivation.

Animals↗

Microheterogeneity of pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone in male rats: differential effects of the chronic androgen deprivation induced by castration or androgen blockade.

Testicular androgens are known to influence not only the secretion but also the bioactivity and molecular composition of pituitary FSH. In the present study, we investigated the effects of chronic androgen blockade and castration on the molecular heterogeneity of the gonadotrophin. Groups of male adult rats (five animals per group) received one of the following treatments: vehicle, the non-steroidal anti-androgens casodex (20 mg/kg per day) or flutamide (20 mg/kg per day), or castration. After 8 weeks, the animals were killed and individual pituitary homogenates fractionated by isoelectric focusing (IEF) on sucrose density gradients in the pH range 2.5-8. FSH was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in the individual fractions and by invitro bioassay (Sertoli cell aromatase bioassay) in pools of fractions which were combined according to pH intervals of 0.5 units. Bioactive and immunoreactive FSH were also measured in sera and unfractionated pituitary extracts. Testosterone and inhibin were assayed in sera by RIA. A significant increase in serum immunoreactive and bioactive FSH was demonstrated in flutamide-treated and castrated animals, whereas the pituitary content of bioactive FSH remained unchanged in the four groups. Serum testosterone and inhibin were undetectable in castrated animals and significantly increased in those treated with flutamide. By RIA, the IEF profiles of the flutamide-treated and castrated rats showed a significant reduction of the FSH isoforms with 3.5 < pI < 4, with a significant increase in the isoforms with pI > 4 only in the castrated group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Androgen Antagonists↗

Intra-domain communication between the N-terminal and DNA-binding domains of the androgen receptor: modulation of androgen response element DNA binding.

The androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that recognises and binds to specific DNA response elements upon activation by the steroids testosterone or dihydrotestosterone. In vitro, two types of response element have been characterised - non-selective elements that bind the androgen, glucocorticoid and progesterone receptors, and androgen receptor-selective sequences. In the present study, the allosteric effects of DNA binding on the receptor amino-terminal domain (NTD) were studied. Binding to both types of DNA response element resulted in changes in the intrinsic fluorescence emission spectrum for four tryptophan residues within the AR-NTD and resulted in a more protease-resistant conformation. In binding experiments, it was observed that the presence of the AR-NTD reduced the affinity of receptor polypeptides for binding to both selective and non-selective DNA elements derived from the probasin, PEM and prostatin C3 genes respectively, without significantly altering the protein-base pair contacts. Taken together, these results highlight the role of intra-domain communications between the AR-NTD and the DNA binding domain in receptor structure and function.

Base Sequence↗

Androgen metabolism in the different lobes of the prostate gland of intact, gonadectomized or hypophysectomized rats with or without androgen substitution.

The effect of gonadectomy or hypophysectomy and the effect of substitution with testosterone, upon the reductive and oxidative metabolic transformations of testosterone, 4-androstene-3,17-dione, 17 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-androstane-3-one, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol and 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol using NAD(H) and NADP(H) as added cofactors were examined in homogenates from the ventral (VP), lateral (LP) and dorsal prostate (DP), and coagulating gland (CG) of adult Wistar rats. The fall in serum testosterone induced by gonadectomy or hypophysectomy led to reduced activity of 5 alpha-reductase, NADP(H)-dependent 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase (3 alpha-HSOR), NAD-dependent 3 alpha-HSOR, 3 beta-HSOR and 17 beta-HSOR, indicating that these enzymes are androgen dependent. The NADP dependent oxidation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol in LP increased upon hypophysectomy and gonadectomy. Testosterone substitution of gonadectomized or hypophysectomized rats generally maintained enzymatic activity at the level of the control group, except for the 5 alpha-reductase activity which fell in spite of this treatment. Hypophysectomy or gonadectomy had different effects on the activity of several androgen metabolizing enzymes; 5 alpha-reductase activity in DP and CG, NAD(H) dependent 3 alpha-HSOR in VP and NADPH dependent 3 beta-HSOR activity in LP, DP and CG. There were marked differences between the rat prostatic lobes, both concerning the activity of the androgen metabolizing enzymes and the responses to the different treatment modalities.

17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗

Molecular biology of androgen action in genital hypoplasia associated with congenital growth hormone deficiency: a "transitory androgen insensitivity syndrome"?

Androgen receptor analyses of foreskin homogenate from a boy with congenital growth hormone deficiency revealed at age 1 and 3 years a decreased number of cytosolic binding sites for testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), compared with controls of similar age. Nuclear T receptor was not detectable at age 1 but showed abnormal high-binding capacity at age 3 years. Nuclear DHT receptor was within normal limits at both age 1 and 3 years. Receptor affinities were normal. Maximum reaction velocity of tissue-specific androgen 5 alpha-reductase A5R was decreased at age 1 year but within the normal range at age 3 years. Stretched penile length was below the third percentile at age 1 and increased to a 25th percentile at age 3 years, respectively. As the receptor and A5R data seem to indicate a "catch-up" growth, i.e., normalization of the external genitalia, we therefore postulate a "transitory" course of an androgen insensitivity in this particular patient.

3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase↗

Cell growth and gene modulatory activities of Yunzhi (Windsor Wunxi) from mushroom Trametes versicolor in androgen-dependent and androgen-insensitive human prostate cancer cells.

The incidence of prostate cancer varies greatly throughout the world; it is highest in African-Americans and lowest in the Asian populations of China, India, and Japan. Geographical differences in both prevalence of latent prostate cancer and mortality have been postulated to be influenced by diverse tumor-promoting and protective factors, both environmental and dietary. Prostate cancer is a tumor with an extremely long latency; the pattern of prostate tumorigenesis, in terms of the display and sequence of appearance of particular molecular or biochemical features, or morphological changes, characterizing different stages of the carcinogenic process, is expected to be heterogeneous. Some insights into tumor heterogeneity and progression can be obtained from studies using cell lines, particularly those derived from different anatomical sites. The present study aims to investigate whether hormone-responsive LNCaP and androgen-refractory JCA-1, PC-3, and DU-145 prostate cancer cells are responsive to Yunzhi (YZ), a proprietary dietary supplement prepared from extracts of Trametes versicolor, also known as Coriolus versicolor (a mushroom consumed by Chinese for its purported health benefits), and to elucidate its mechanism of action. Ethanolic extracts (70%) of YZ significantly reduced LNCaP cell growth, down-regulated the levels of secreted PSA, but had less effects on the expression of intracellular PSA and did not affect levels of the androgen receptor. In androgen-unresponsive prostate cancer cells, YZ had a much less pronounced suppressive effect on proliferation of PC-3 and DU-145 cells, compared to LNCaP, and was inactive against JCA-1 cells. Western blot analyses show that the expression of Rb, a key regulatory protein in G1/S transition, and PCNA, integrally involved in mammalian cell DNA replication, were significantly reduced by treatment with YZ in PC-3 and DU-145 cells, respectively. In contradiction, none of these biochemical parameters were affected in JCA-1 cells under identical treatment conditions. Further analysis shows that YZ increased the levels of signal transducer and activator family of transcription factors STAT 1 and STAT 3 in JCA-1 and not LNCaP cells. The greater sensitivity of LNCaP cells to this polysaccharopeptide raises the possibility that YZ may be considered as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of hormone responsive prostate cancer; additionally, it may have chemopreventive potential to restrict prostate tumorigenic progression from the hormone-dependent to the hormone-refractory state.

Androgens↗

Tributyrin induces differentiation, growth arrest and apoptosis in androgen-sensitive and androgen-resistant human prostate cancer cell lines.

Progression to androgen independence remains the main problem that impacts on survival and quality of life in prostate cancer patients. We have investigated the potency of tributyrin, an orally available prodrug of butyrate, to induce growth arrest, differentiation and apoptosis in LNCaP, PC-3 and TSU-PR1 human prostate cancer cell lines. Cells were treated with 0.1 to 5 mM tributyrin or sodium butyrate. Growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction was assessed using standard methods. Both agents induced a more differentiated, fibroblast-like phenotype in androgen-sensitive as well as androgen-resistant cell lines. Expression of prostate-specific antigen was increased in LNCaP cells by tributyrin as a indicator of differentiation. The IC(50) for sodium butyrate was 2.5 mM in PC-3 and TSU-PR1 cells. LNCaP cells exhibited <50% growth inhibition at 5 mM sodium butyrate. However, the IC(50) for tributyrin was 0.8 mM in PC-3 cells, 1.2 mM in TSU-PR1 cells and 3.1 mM in LNCaP cells. Flow cytometry revealed a strong G1-arrest after exposure to tributyrin or sodium butyrate. Both agents resulted in a strong increase of apoptosis rates compared with mock-treated cells. Overall, tributyrin had a 2.5- to 3-fold growth inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing potency compared with equimolar concentrations of sodium butyrate. Our results demonstrate that tributyrin is more potent than butyrate in regard to cell growth inhibition and apoptosis induction at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. Hence, tributyrin may be a promising candidate for clinical protocols in prostate cancer.

Androgens↗

Defining 'relative' androgen deficiency in aging men: how should testosterone be measured and what are the relationships between androgen levels and physical, sexual and emotional health?

In men, bioavailable and free testosterone levels decline by about 1.0 and 1.2% per year, respectively, after the age of 40. The definition of clinically relevant androgen deficiency in the aging male remains uncertain. Clinical features common to both aging and androgen deficiency include decreased muscle mass and strength, and increased fatigue, increased fat mass, loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, impaired cognitive function and depression. It is, however, difficult to separate the effect on plasma testosterone of concomitant disease, compared with the effects of a decrease in testosterone levels alone. Testosterone supplementation has been shown to be effective in improving many of the clinical features of androgen deficiency in the older male, and is safe, at least in the short term. The maximum benefit occurs in those men with the lowest testosterone levels.

Adipose Tissue↗

Growth-stimulatory effect of androgen-induced autocrine growth factor(s) secreted from Shionogi carcinoma 115 cells on androgen-unresponsive cancer cells in a paracrine mechanism.

Androgen-responsive (SC-3) and -unresponsive (SC-4) cloned cell lines in culture were established from an androgen-responsive mouse mammary tumor, Shionogi carcinoma 115. By using a serum-free medium [Ham's F-12:Eagle's minimum essential medium (1:1, v/v) containing 0.1% bovine serum albumin], characteristics of androgen-induced and autonomous growth factors (GFs) were examined. Serum-free conditioned medium (CM) obtained from testosterone-stimulated (+T) SC-3 cells had remarkable growth-stimulatory effects on both SC-3 and SC-4 cells. To examine the molecular characteristics of GF, CM(+T) from SC-3 was fractioned by heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography; two peaks, eluted at 0.5 M (GF-low) and 1.1 M NaCl (GF-high) were identified. GF-high had the ability to stimulate growth with a morphological change of both SC-3 and SC-4 cells; the GF-high was not found in CM from T-unstimulated (-T) SC-3 or CM from SC-4. GF-low stimulated the growth without the morphological change of only SC-4 cells; the GF-low was also present in CM(-T) from SC-3 and CM from SC-4. The present findings demonstrate that T-induced autocrine GF-high secreted from SC-3 cells can also stimulate the growth of progressed unresponsive SC-4 cells in a paracrine mechanism and that autonomous GF-low secreted from both SC-3 and SC-4 cells can stimulate the growth of only SC-4 cells.

Androgens↗

Interconversion of androgen receptor forms by divalent cations and 8 S androgen receptor-promoting factor. Effects of Zn2+, Cd2+, Ca2+, and Mg2+.

The effects of divalent cations (Zn2+, Cd2+, Ca2+, Mg2+) on the cytosol androgen receptor were determined by sedimentation into sucrose gradients. At low ionic strength (25 mM KCl, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.4), Zn2+ (200 microM total, which calculates to 130 nM free Zn2+ in 10 mM mercaptoethanol) causes a shift in the sedimentation coefficient of the rat Dunning prostate tumor (R3327H) cytosol receptor and rat ventral prostate cytosol receptor from 7.5 +/- 0.3 S to 8.6 +/- 0.3 S. Zn2+ stabilizes the 8.6 S receptor form in salt concentrations up to 0.15 M KCl in 50 mM Tris, pH 7.2. In low ionic strength gradients containing Ca2+ (greater than or equal to 200 microM) or Mg2+ (greater than or equal to 1 mM), the receptor sediments as 4.7 +/- 0.3 S. The dissociating effects of Ca2+ and Mg2+ can be fully reversed by sedimentation into gradients containing Zn2+ (200 microM total) or Cd2+ (10 microM total). In the presence of Zn2+ (200 microM total), Ca2+ (10 microM to 3 mM) converts the receptor to an intermediate form with sedimentation coefficient 6.2 +/- 0.2 S, Stokes radius 73 A, and apparent Mr approximately 203,000. The potentiating effect of Zn2+ on formation of the 8.6 S receptor (in the absence of Ca2+) and the 6.2 S receptor (in the presence of Ca2+) requires both the 4.5 S receptor and the 8 S androgen receptor-promoting factor. Sodium molybdate stabilizes the untransformed cytosol receptor but, unlike Zn2+, does not promote reconstitution of the 8.6 S receptor from its partially purified components. These results indicate that divalent cations alter the molecular size of the androgen receptor in vitro and thus may have a role in altering the state of transformation of the receptor.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

Expression of genes encoding connective tissue proteins in androgen-dependent SC115 tumors after androgen removal.

BACKGROUND: Shionogi carcinoma 115 (SC115) is an androgen-dependent medullary carcinoma with a compact cell pattern. When SC115 tumors grow in androgen-depleted hosts, spindle-shaped and round cells with abundant cytoplasm develop. These cells originate from the SC115 cells (Kitamura et al., Cancer Res 1979;39:4717; Terada et al., Lab Invest 1987;57:186). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We investigated whether these spindle-shaped and round cells expressed mRNAs of noncollagenous connective tissue proteins, which are expressed by normal spindle-shaped cells and normal chondrocytes in developing bones. The expression and localization of osteonectin (OSN), osteopontin (OSP), matrix Gla protein (MGP), and osteocalcin (OSC) were determined by Northern blotting and in situ hybridization. RESULTS: No mRNA signals of these proteins were detectable in SC115 medullary carcinoma cells growing in DS mice that had been castrated but received injections of testosterone propionate. However, when the injection of TP was stopped, spindle-shaped and round cells with abundant cytoplasm developed. The former expressed OSN and OSP signals, and the latter OSN, OSP, and MGP signals. CONCLUSIONS: Transcripts of OSN, OSP, and MGP were expressed by some SC115-derived cells during the differentiation events that occurred after androgen removal. These results provide molecular biologic evidence that a tumor of epithelial origin can progress along the connective tissue differentiation pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural basis for androgen receptor agonists and antagonists: interaction of SPEED 98-listed chemicals and related compounds with the androgen receptor based on an in vitro reporter gene assay and 3D-QSAR.

The androgen receptor (AR) activity of listed chemicals, so called SPEED 98, by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, and structurally related chemicals was characterized using MDA-kb2 human breast cancer cells stably expressing an androgen-responsive luciferase reporter gene, MMTV-luc. Since our results suggested that chemicals with diverse chemical structures were capable of disrupting the endocrine systems mediated by AR, a comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) model was developed to analyze the structural requirements necessary to disrupt AR function. A significant CoMFA model with r(2)=0.825 and q(2)=0.332 was developed for AR antagonist activity of 35 pure antagonists excluding procymidone. On the other hand, a good CoMFA model with r(2)=0.983 and q(2)=0.555 was obtained for antagonist activity of 13 chemicals with both agonist and antagonist activities. The steric and electrostatic properties were sufficient to describe the structural requirements for AR antagonist activity. In addition, the structural difference of AR agonists and antagonists was explained based on CoMFA results and the AR-LBD crystal structure. As several ERalpha agonists such as diethylstilbestrol (DES) acted as AR antagonists, the surface area of the AR ligand-binding domain (LBD) was compared with that of the ERalpha-LBD based on their reported crystal structures to analyze how those ligands interact with LBDs. The surface area of AR-LBD was shown to be smaller than that of ERalpha-LBD and therefore compounds with both estrogenic and antiandrogenic activities can fit well into the ERalpha-LBD but may protrude from the AR-LBD. It is likely that this subtle difference of the surface areas of the LBDs determines whether an ERalpha agonist acts as an AR antagonist or an agonist.

Androgen Antagonists↗

Androgen receptors, androgen-dependent proliferation, and 5 alpha-reductase activity of small-cell lung cancer cell lines.

We investigated the influence of testosterone on binding to established small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines and were able to show specific high-affinity and low-capacity binding sites in some cell lines with a typical receptor size, using sucrose density gradient centrifugation. In addition, we demonstrated marked growth stimulation with testosterone and dehydrotestosterone using different androgen-receptor-positive small-cell lung cancer cell lines. This growth stimulation could be counteracted by the addition of anti-androgens like cyproterone acetate or flutamide. The presence of 5 alpha-reductase activity, 17 beta-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase and 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase activities could be demonstrated, suggesting testosterone metabolism of small-cell lung cancer cell lines.

Androgen Antagonists↗

Activation of rat androgen receptor by androgenic ligands is unaffected by antiandrogens in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The E. coli lacZ has been utilized as a reporter to evaluate ligand-mediated activation of the rat androgen receptor (AR) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain YCR1. beta-galactosidase activity was androgen-specific and was found to be inducible approximately 260-fold by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone and R1881. None of the antiandrogens tested was able to antagonize the DHT-dependent induction of beta-galactosidase activity. In the gel retardation assay, exposure of the receptor to DHT in vitro led to the formation of a protein-DNA complex that was not detected in yeast extracts unexposed to hormone. However, activation of AR by a steroidal (cyproterone acetate) and a non-steroidal antiandrogen (flutamide) either alone or in combination with DHT also results in a similar migration pattern. Additionally, LEM1, the ABC transporter that selectively modulates the biological potency of steroids in yeast, although operative in YCR1, was not responsible for antiandrogen resistance. These results thus indicate the involvement of other non-receptor factor(s) in mediating the effect of antiandrogens in yeast.

Androgen Antagonists↗