Propecia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Propecia, including details on baldness, hair loss, side-effects, results.

Comparison of gene expression in LNCaP prostate cancer cells after treatment with bicalutamide or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.

Bühler P, Fischer T, Wolf P, Gierschner D, Schultze-Seemann W, Wetterauer U, Elsässer-Beile U

Department of Urology, Experimental Research Group, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

INTRODUCTION: Androgen deprivation is the preferred treatment for disseminated prostate cancer. However, it mostly leads to the development of incurable androgen-independent disease. The aim of the present study was to compare gene expression changes that occur after treatment with either the antiandrogen bicalutamide or the 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors finasteride (MK906) and MK386. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LNCaP cells of low passages were treated with MK906 and MK386 at 5 microM each or with bicalutamide at 10 microM for 48 h. In these cultures we analyzed the expression of 22,500 transcripts on the Affymetrix Human U133+ 2.0 GeneChip platform. Gene expression was verified by real-time quantitative Taqman PCR. RESULTS: Our studies revealed 312 differentially regulated genes upon bicalutamide treatment and 68 differentially regulated genes upon treatment with the 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. There were 35 genes equally regulated by both drugs. This subset of genes included those with the highest fold change in both treatment groups. In the subset KlK2, TMPRSS2, TRGC2, PMEPA1 and TM4SF1 were downregulated, whereas EGR1, DDC and OPRK1 were upregulated. CONCLUSIONS: A cohort of interesting genes that are differentially expressed after androgen withdrawal could be found in this study. Investigation into these genes could contribute to a better understanding of antiandrogen treatment and development of androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Published 10 March 2010 in Urol Int, 84(2): 203-11.
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Articles on Propecia published 10 March 2010:

Update on chemoprevention for prostate cancer.   Curr Opin Urol.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Interest in prostate cancer prevention and risk reduction continues among both patients and clinicians. Recent studies on primary and secondary prevention of prostate cancer will be addressed. RECENT FINDINGS: 5-alpha reductase inhibitors remain the predominant therapy to reduce the future risk of a prostate cancer diagnosis. Reanalysis of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) suggests that high-grade cancer is not associated with finasteride therapy. We await the ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Propecia published 9 March 2010:

Reduction in the risk of prostate cancer: future directions after the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial.   Urology, 75(3): 502-9.

The landmark Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) generated interest in the potential health benefits and cost of reducing prostate cancer risk--specifically, the potential role of 5alpha-reductase inhibitors. However, the PCPT raised several unanswered questions, including the cause and significance of the increased incidence of high-grade tumors associated with finasteride. In the present study, we review the PCPT findings and unanswered questions, next steps in this field, and ongoing ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Propecia published 8 March 2010:

Androgens Induce Nongenomic Stimulation of Colonic Contractile Activity through Induction of Calcium Sensitization and Phosphorylation of LC20 and CPI-17.   Mol Endocrinol.

We show that androgens, testosterone and 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), acutely ( approximately 40 min) provoke the mechanical potentiation of spontaneous and agonist-induced contractile activity in mouse colonic longitudinal smooth muscle. The results using flutamide, finasteride, cycloheximide, and actinomycin D indicate that androgen-induced potentiation is dependent on androgen receptors, requires reduction of testosterone to DHT, and occurs independently of transcriptional and ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Propecia published 5 March 2010:

Finasteride modifies the relation between serum C-peptide and prostate cancer risk: results from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial.   Cancer Prev Res (Phila Pa), 3(3): 279-89.

Hyperinsulinemia and obesity-related metabolic disturbances are common and have been associated with increased cancer risk and poor prognosis. To investigate this issue in relation to prostate cancer, we conducted a nested case-control study within the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT), a randomized, placebo-controlled trial testing finasteride versus placebo for primary prevention of prostate cancer. Cases (n = 1,803) and controls (n = 1,797) were matched on age, PCPT treatment arm, and ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Propecia published 3 March 2010:

The Aromatase Inhibitor Fadrozole and the 5-Reductase Inhibitor Finasteride Affect Gonadal Differentiation and Gene Expression in the Frog Silurana tropicalis.   Sex Dev, 3(6): 333-341.

Aromatase (cyp19) and the 5alpha- and 5beta-reductases (srd5alpha and srd5beta) are important enzymes for vertebrate sexual development. We investigated the effects of inhibition of cyp19 by fadrozole (FAD), and srd5alpha and srd5beta by finasteride (FIN) during anuran larval development. Chronic exposures of Silurana (Xenopus) tropicalis from Nieuwkoop-Faber stage 12 until stage 60 were performed using either 2 muM FAD or 25 muM FIN. Histological analysis of exposed metamorphic frogs revealed ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Propecia published 2 March 2010:

Progesterone promotes the survival of newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus of adult male mice.   Hippocampus, 20(3): 402-12.

This study investigated the effects of progesterone (P4) on the production and survival of neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of adult male mice. The administration of P4 (4 mg/kg) for 3 consecutive days beginning on the 0-2nd day after the first BrdU-injection (BrdU-D(0-2)) produced an approximately twofold increase in the number of 28- and 56-day-old BrdU(+) cells in comparison to the controls, whereas it did not alter the number of 24/48-h-old BrdU(+) cells. P4 preferentially promoted ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Propecia published 1 March 2010:

Anti-androgen Treatments.   Ann Endocrinol (Paris), 71(1): 19-24.

1. Estrogen plus progestin contraceptives (EPP) are the first-line treatment of moderate hirsutism and acne in women of child bearing age (grade C). 2. CPA, 50mg/day, 20 days out of 28, associated with estrogen is the first-line treatment of "moderate to severe hirsutism" in women of childbearing age (grade C). 3. Spironolactone, given as a contraceptive, can be proposed as a second-line treatment in case of side effects or counter-indications to CPA in moderate to severe hirsutism ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Propecia published 25 February 2010:

Finasteride to prevent prostate cancer: should all men or only a high-risk subgroup be treated?   J Clin Oncol, 28(7): 1112-6.

PURPOSE Finasteride has been shown to reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. Yet the use of finasteride remains low, likely because of the risk of adverse effects. We sought to determine whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels could identify a high-risk subgroup for which the benefits of finasteride treatment outweigh the potential harms. PATIENTS AND METHODS Raw data from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial were used to model chemopreventive treatment strategies: treat all men, treat ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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