Prostate androgen receptor: immunohistological localization and mRNA characterization

Four androgen receptor (AR) specific monoclonal antibodies were used for the immunohistochemical localization of AR in the human prostate tissue. The prostate tissue consisted of alveoli embedded in fibromuscular stroma and lined with a single layer of columnar secretory epithelial cells. The immunoreactive ARs were found predominantly in the nuclei of epithelial cell, suggesting ARs, like estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors, are mainly nuclear proteins. Northern blot hybridization showed that AR mRNA is about 9 kilobases (kb) and relative abundant in the androgen-sensitive organs, such as ventral prostate, dorsolateral prostate and seminal vesicle.