[Expression and significance of steroid 5alpha-reductase isoenzymes in benign hyperplastic prostate tissues].

Objective: To study the expression levels and cell-specific expression patterns of steroid 5alpha-reductase type 1 and type 2 isoenzymes in human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to investigate qualitatively and semi-quantitatively the expression of 5alpha-reductases type 1 and type 2 in 15 specimens of normal prostate tissues from dead kidney donor or patients undergoing cystectomy and 25 BPH tissues obtained from suprapubie enucleation.

Results: Both steroid 5alpha-reductase type 1 mRNA and protein and 5alpha-reductase type 2 mRNA and protein were present in the normal and BPH tissues, especially in the glandular epithelial cells and mainly in the cytoplasm.