ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION CAUSES UP-REGULATION OF ANDROGEN RECEPTOR TRANSCRIPT IN THE RAT PROSTATE

We have studied the effect of androgenic deprivation on the level of a ndrogen receptor transcript in the rat ventral prostate. The rats were treated with estradiol benzoate, flutamide and [D Trp(6), des Gly(10) ]gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) for different time periods. The se treatments produced a significant decrease in the weight of prostat e. Total RNA isolated from the ventral prostates was hybridized with t he cDNA probe for androgen receptor. Densitometric analysis of the aut oradiographic signal revealed a rise in the level of androgen receptor RNA following treatment of rats with estradiol benzoate and flutamide . Treatment of rats with [D Trp(6), des Gly(10)] GnRH brought about a transient rise in the level of androgen receptor RNA. Thus, our result s indicate that androgenic deprivation up-regulates the level of andro gen receptor transcript.