Dihydrotestosterone synthesis pathways from inactive androgen 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol in prostate cancer cells: Inhibition of intratumoural 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities by abiraterone

Citations Over Time

Abstract

Intratumoural dihydrotestosterone (DHT) synthesis could be an explanation for castration resistance in prostate cancer (PC). By using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we evaluated the intratumoral DHT synthesis from 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol (3β-diol), which is inactive androgen metabolized from DHT. 3β-diol had biochemical potential to be converted to DHT via three metabolic pathways and could stimulate PC cell growth. Especially, 3β-diol was not only converted back to upstream androgens such as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or Δ5-androstenediol but also converted directly to DHT which is the main pathway from 3β-diol to DHT. Abiraterone had a significant influence on the metabolism of DHEA, epiandrosterone and 3β-diol, by the inhibition of the intratumoural 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) activities which is one of key catalysts in androgen metabolic pathway. The direct-conversion of 3β-diol to DHT was catalysed by 3β-HSD and abiraterone could inhibit this activity of 3β-HSD. These results suggest that PC had a mechanism of intratumoural androgen metabolism to return inactive androgen to active androgen and intratumoural DHT synthesis from 3β-diol is important as one of the mechanisms of castration resistance in PC. Additionally, the inhibition of intratumoural 3β-HSD activity could be a new approach to castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment.

Related Papers

• → Studies of the Human Testis. V. Properties of Δ5-3β and 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases in the Biosynthesis of Testosterone from Dehydroepiandrosterone(1975)23 cited
• → Androstenediol, a Probable Intermediate in thein VitroConversion of Dehydroepiandrosterone to Testosterone by the Rabbit Testis(1964)30 cited
• → Steroid Metabolic Pathways in Feminizing Testicular Tissue(1968)9 cited
• → Biosynthesis of 5-androstenediol by human testis in vitro(1970)8 cited
• Protection against radiation by dehydroepiandrosterone,androstenediol,and androstenetriol(2004)