ANDROGEN-INDEPENDENT BASAL-CELL REEPITHILIALIZATION, C-ERBB-2 MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION AND ANDROGEN-DEPENDENT EGFR MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSIONIN BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA EXPLANT CULTURES TREATED WITH FINASTERIDE

We have analyzed the effects of the 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, finas teride (MK906), on the mRNA expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbs-2 genes, in benign prostatic hyperplasia explant c ultures treated with testosterone and with testosterone plus finasteri de. A decrease of the epithelial cell content and an androgen-independ ent basal cell re-epithelialization was observed during the first In d ays of culture, suggesting a role of basal cells as stem cells involve d in androgen-independent epithelial regeneration, Using a semi-quanti tative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique, we o bserved a significant decrease in expression of the epidermal growth f actor receptor in the cultures treated with finasteride whereas no eff ect of finasteride on c-erbB-2 transcription was detected, although th e expression of both genes was increased by dihydrotestosterone. (C) 1 998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.