Nuclear androgen receptors in the epithelium and stroma of human benign prostatic hypertrophic glands

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Abstract
Androgen receptors have been characterized and quantified in nuclear extracts of separated epithelium and stroma from human benign prostatic hypertrophic (BPH) glands. Tritiated dihydrotestosterone was used as the ligand and incubation was carried out at 15°C for 18–20 hr before separation of bound and free ligand using dextran‐coated charcoal. The results were analysed by Scatchard‐type analysis. The concentration of receptor was found to be significantly (p = 0.022) greater in stromal than in epithelial nuclei: 1765 ± 152 vs 1030 ± 227 fmol/mg DNA (SEM, n = 6). Fourteen competitors were tested and the results indicated the presence of specific androgen receptors rather than contaminating sex‐hormone‐binding globulin. This was also borne out by the results of agar gel electrophoresis and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation studies. The results are in line with current opinion that prostatic stroma is an important androgen‐sensitive tissue, particularly in human BPH.