Effect of Inhibin on Testosterone Metabolism by Rat Ventral Prostate in Vitro

Abstract
Conversion of radiolabeled testosterone to 5 α-dihydrotestosterone (5 α-DHT) was determined in the rat ventral prostate in vitro, and the effect of inhibin on this conversion was demonstrated. The data revealed that the reduction of testosterone to 5 α-DHT was inhibited in a dose-related manner in the presence of inhibin as compared with the basal reduction. The percentage of testosterone reduced per 10-mg tissue also showed a similar trend. The ratio of radioactive counts for DHT and testosterone was also minimum at the highest does of inhibin used. Inhibin can thus modulate the conversion of testosterone to 5 α-DHT in the rat ventral prostate, and therefore can autocrine-paracrine function can be attributed to the prostate.