Androgens and prostate‐specific acid phosphatase in whole tissue and in separated epithelium from human benign prostatic hypertrophic glands

Abstract

The concentrations of prostate-specific acid phosphatase (PAP), testosterone, 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT), 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol, androstenedione, 5α-androstanedione, and androsterone were measured by specific radioimmunoassays in whole pieces and in separated epithelium from human benign pro-static hypertrophic (BPH) tissues. Significant correlations were noted between the concentrations of PAP and 5α-DHT, and PAP and 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol in the epithelium, and between PAP and androstenedione, and PAP and testosterone in the whole tissue. The results indicate that in the epithelium the synthesis of PAP is androgen dependent, particularly as regards 5α-DHT, whereas 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol may operate after conversion to 5α-DHT. There is no obvious explanation for the correlations noted in whole tissue, but is suggested that circulating androgens, representing the androgen source for the prostate, primarily determine the production of PAP. The majority of the PAP in BPH tissues is located extracellularly.