ANDROGENS ARE NOT A DIRECT REQUIREMENT FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF HUMANPROSTATIC EPITHELIUM IN-VITRO

The androgen receptor pathway is known to be a key regulator of growth in the normal and pathological prostate. However, the precise mechani sms of this signaling pathway with respect to the different cellular c ompartments of the prostate remain largely unknown. We have used a pri mary culture system to grow human prostatic epithelial cells of normal , benign, tumor and metastatic origin, as well as immortalized human p rostatic epithelial cell lines, to demonstrate the absence of a direct or indirect effect of androgens on cellular proliferation in vitro. I n parallel to this observed androgen independence for growth, all cell systems lost significant expression of androgen receptor, prostate-sp ecific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase. Since the androgen rece ptor is expressed in the epithelium in situ, our results suggest that the androgen effect on epithelial cells may be one of prostatic differ entiation rather than proliferation, and that the androgen receptor/gr owth factor pathway acts through mesenchymal-epithelial interactions. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.