Expression of androgen receptors and prostatic steroid-binding protein during development of the rat ventral prostate.

Prostatic steroid-binding protein (PSBP) mRNAs transcribed from the three genes C1, C2 and C3 were quantitated in neonatal rat ventral prostate by Northern blot analysis. Transcription was initiated at day 14 for C1 and C2 and day 10 for C3, and reached mature levels by day 21 for C1 and C2 and day 28 for C3. The changes of both cytoplasmic and nuclear prostatic androgen receptors in 10- to 150-day-old rats were investigated by radioligand assay and showed a fivefold transient increase between days 10 and 28. Thus there was a good correlation between the onset of PSBP gene expression and the transient increase in androgen receptors; increases in receptor concentration may be a prerequisite for changes in gene expression.