Prostatic expression of human 5alpha-reductase type 2 during finasteride therapy: a randomized, double-blind,...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Molecular Biology
• Urology

Background:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in aging men.
• 5-alpha reductase is an enzyme crucial for converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
• Finasteride inhibits 5-alpha reductase, impacting DHT levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of finasteride on 5-alpha reductase type 2 mRNA expression in the human prostate.
• To assess changes in gene expression at the mRNA level using in situ hybridization.
• To compare finasteride's impact against a placebo in BPH patients.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial with 10 men receiving finasteride and 5 receiving placebo.
• Oral administration of finasteride (5 mg daily) or placebo for 12 months.
• Transrectal prostate biopsies and in situ hybridization to measure 5-alpha reductase type 2 mRNA expression.

Main Results:

• Finasteride treatment showed no permanent effect on 5-alpha reductase type 2 mRNA expression in prostatic epithelium compared to placebo.
• Gene expression levels varied during the treatment period but without a clear trend.
• The mRNA signal for 5-alpha reductase type 2 was consistently localized within the epithelial cells.

Conclusions:

• Finasteride treatment does not appear to have a significant long-term effect on human 5-alpha reductase type 2 expression in the prostate.
• The study suggests that the impact of finasteride on this specific gene expression in BPH patients is minimal.
• Further research may be needed to explore other molecular mechanisms or long-term consequences.