DIFFERENTIAL ANDROGEN REGULATION OF RAT PROSTATIC ACID-PHOSPHATASE TRANSCRIPTS

Steady-state levels of the mRNAs encoding rat prostatic acid phosphata se (rPAP) were measured from the ventral prostate of rats after castra tion and testosterone replacement. The longest and the most abundant m RNA molecule (4.9 kb) of the rPAP gene was quite resistant to the horm onal status of the prostate, whereas its medium-sized transcript (2.3 kb) and the shortest one (1.5 kb) were up-regulated by androgens. For comparison, we also analyzed the prostatic mRNA levels of rat lysosoma l acid phosphatase (rLAP), whose gene expression is not considered to be hormonally dependent. Only modest variation was observed in the rLA P transcript after androgen withdrawal and replacement. Corresponding protein level investigations are analogous with our regulatin studies, particularly in the case of 1.5-kb rPAP m RNA. (C) 1995 Academic Pres s, Inc.