The effect of 5α‐androstane‐3α, 17β‐diol and 17β‐estradiol on the adult and immature chacma baboon prostate

AbstractWe have studied the Chacma baboon prostate in an attempt to develop a primate model of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Anatomically, the baboon prostate can be divided into caudal, cranial, and prostatic urethral segments. A peri‐urethral group of glands has been identified in the prostatic urethra. Following treatment with either 5α‐androstane‐3α, 17β‐diol or 17β‐estradiol, or the hormones in combination, the mature baboon prostate showed very little response by gravimetric or morphometric analysis. In contrast, the stimulatory effect of 5α‐androstane‐3α, 17β‐diol on the caudal lobe of the immature baboon prostate and the prostatic urethral segment (a structure that is largely fibromuscular) was potentiated by the addition of 17β‐estradiol. The weight of the immature baboon cranial prostate was increased by 5α‐androstane‐3α, 17β‐diol treatment, but 17β estradiol did not potentiate androgen‐induced growth. By morphometric analysis it could be shown that both the epithelial and stromal component of the immature baboon caudal prostate responded to 5α‐androstane‐3α, 17β‐diol (androstanediol) treatment and that the addition of 17β‐estradiol had a slight, but significant, potentiating effect on the androstanediol‐induced increase of epithelial volume.