[Differential regulation of androgen receptor promoter in hormone-sensitive and -insensitive prostate carcinoma cells].

The sensitivity of prostate epithelial cells to androgens is mediated by the androgen receptor (AR). Analyses of cell lines in vitro and prostate carcinomas in vivo provide evidence that loss of AR expression parallels the loss of sensitivity to androgens. The aim of our work is to analyze the genetic control elements of the AR gene and answer the question of why these elements fail to function in hormone-insensitive prostate cancer cells. Therefore, we have cloned and fully sequenced a 5700 base pair sequence 5'-upstream of the AR gene. This DNA fragment contains promoter and enhancer elements that are active in androgen-sensitive but inactive in androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cell lines.