Metabolism of Testosterone in Human Prostatic Tissue from Prostatic Carcinoma and Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy

• Published in: YONAGO ACTA MEDICA Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 73 - 79
• Main Authors: Ikumasa TAKENAKA, Hajime GOTO, Hiromi KOHARA, K.Shimizu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Tottori University Faculty of Medicine 1978
• ISSN: 0513-5710

Prostatic tissues obtained from the patients of prostatic carcinoma and benign prostatic hypertrophy were incubated with radioactive testosterone and the metabolites were examined. 1. In the carcinomatous tissues of the human prostate, testosterone was scarcely metabolized in slices but it was to some degree metabolized in homogenates. Among the metabolites, the major products were 17-keto metabolites such as Δ4-androstenedione, while 5α-reduced products were produced in small amounts. 2. In the inner layer of benign prostatic hypertrophy, the main products were 5α-reduced metabolites such as 17β-hydroxy-5α-androstane-3-one. There were small amount of 17-keto metabolites. 3. Large amounts of 17-keto metabolites were produced from testosterone in the outer layer of benign prostatic hypertrophy. But 5α-reduced metabolites were also produced. 4. Our experimental results seemed to support the view that the origin of prostatic carcinoma is the outer layer of the prostate on the biochemical point of view.