AGING AND PROSTATE - AGE-RELATED-CHANGES IN ANDROGEN RECEPTORS OF EPITHELIAL-CELLS FROM BENIGN HYPERTROPHIC GLANDS COMPARED WITH CANCER

Total and nuclear androgen receptors (AR) were studied from epithelial cells in internal and external prostatic zones in 51- to 86-year-old individuals with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (n = 68) and prost atic cancer (n = 9). We focussed on the role played by androgens on th ose processes, despite the fact that at these ages, its secretion has normally decreased. In BPH, the nuclear AR do not change, but total me asured androgen receptors rise with age (I = 0.5, P < 0.01). Total or nuclear AR do not correlate with gland volume, despite its increase wi th age (r = 0.8, P < 0.05). In prostates less than 180 cc in volume, t here is a significant correlation between size, serum total testostero ne level (r = 0.53, P < 0.05) and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) (r = 0.63, P < 0.05). The amount of nuclear AR in cells from the external zone (infiltrated by cancer or healthy) is two times greater than in those from the internal region. Total receptor content of the external zone cells is also high, but the sample is too small to demonstrate a n age dependence. The results suggest that ageing is accompanied by an accumulation of non-nuclear AR in the cytosol, that does not play a r ole in the development of BPH because the amount of nuclear receptors remains unaltered. The enrichment in nuclear receptors of the external zone cells, independently of the presence of cancer, points to a grea ter androgen dependence in these cells than in cells of the internal r egion.