AIMTo identify flutamide regulated genes in the rat ventral prostate.

METHODSTotal RNA from ventral prostates of control and flutamide treated rats were isolated. Differentially expressed transcripts were identified using differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The effect of castration on the expression of flutamide-regulated transcripts was studied.

RESULTSWe have identified beta2-microglobulin, cytoplasmic FMR1 interacting protein 2 and pumilio 1 as flutamide induced and spermine binding protein and ribophorin II as flutamide repressed targets in the rat ventral prostate. Although flutamide treatment caused an induction of pumilio 1 mRNA, castration had no effect.

CONCLUSIONCastration and flutamide treatments exert differential effects on gene expression. Flutamide might also have direct AR independent effects, which might have implications in the emergence of androgen independent prostate cancer and the failure of flutamide therapy.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Androgen Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Flutamide ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Orchiectomy ; Prostate ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; beta 2-Microglobulin ; drug effects ; metabolism