Synthesis, in silico, and in vivo anti-inflammatory evaluation of 3ß-cinnamoyloxy substituted pregna-4,16-diene-6,20-diones derivatives.

Pregnane derivatives have been studied mainly for their 5α-reductase activity. However, the anti-inflammatory activities of such compounds are still poorly explored. In the search for new anti-inflammatory agents, seven new pregnane derivatives 6a-g, with cinnamic acid esters at C-3 were prepared and fully characterized. The anti-inflammatory activity of compounds was assessed in TPA induced mice ear model. From them, compound 6 b was the most active to reduce edema, with an ED50 of 0.017 mg/ear. Also, Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics studies were performed to identify a potential molecular target related to the inflammatory process. The in vivo results suggest that 6 b could be a potent anti-inflammatory compound, while in silico studies suggest its interaction with some critical enzymes in the inflammatory response.

Activity of steroid 4 and derivatives 4a-4f as inhibitors of the enzyme 5α-reductase 1.

It is known that the growth of prostate metastatic bone tumor depends on androgens, and tumor formation can start from migratory malignant cells produced in that organ. These cells exhibit grater type 1 5α-reductase (5α-R1) activity than type 2 5α-reductase. Noteworthy, both isozymes convert testosterone (T) to the more active androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the target tissues. Thus, in order to potentially improve the prognosis of this disease, in this work, seven derivatives of 17-(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)-16-formillandrosta-5,16-dien-3ß-yl benzoate (4a-f) and 17-(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)-3-hydroxy-16-formylandrost-5,16-diene (4) were synthesized, characterized and identified as inhibitors of type 1 5α-reductase (5αR1). These derivatives having the advantage of improved plasma half-life. The inhibitory activity of the compounds towards 5α-R1 isoenzyme was determined by conversion of T into DHT in the presence or absence of compounds 4, 4a-f. Further, in vivo experiments were also carried out, treating gonadectomized hamsters with T and/or 4, 4a-f and evaluating their effect on the diameter of hamster flank organs and on the weight of the prostatic and seminal vesicles. Results indicated that compounds 4, 4b, 4c, served as in vitro inhibitors of the enzyme 5α-R1 and pharmacological experiments showed that 4 and derivatives 4a-f decreased the diameter of the flank glands, the weight of the prostate and seminal vesicles of treated hamsters without any appreciable toxicity during observation. Noteworthy the fact that compound 4 is the product, in all cases, of the hydrolysis of the series of esters 4a-f, thus they can serve as precursors (prodrugs) of the active form 4.

Synthesis and cytotoxic effect of pregnenolone derivatives with one or two α,ß-unsaturated carbonyls and an ester moiety at C-21 or C-3.

Four series of pregnenolone derivatives having one or two α,ß-unsaturated carbonyls and an ester moiety at C-21 or C-3 were synthetized to compare their cytotoxicity effect. The final compounds were evaluated on three human cancer cell lines: PC-3 (prostate cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), SKLU-1 (lung cancer) and a noncancerous cell line HGF (human gingival fibroblast). Two steroids with a 4-fluorinated benzoic acid ester at C-21 were the most active against lung cancer cell line with IC50 of 13.1 ±â€¯1.2 and 12.8 ±â€¯0.5 µM and showed a low percentage of cytotoxicity for noncancerous cells (27.63 ±â€¯2.3 and 18.39 ±â€¯1.2% in the screening at 50 µM).

Synthesis of new derivatives of 21-imidazolyl-16-dehydropregnenolone as inhibitors of 5α-reductase 2 and with cytotoxic activity in cancer cells.

The aim of this study was to synthesize several 16-dehydropregnenolone derivatives containing an imidazole ring at C-21 and a different ester moiety at C-3 as inhibitors of 5α-reductase 1 and 2 isoenzymes. Their binding capacity to the androgen receptor (AR) was also studied. Additionally, we evaluated their pharmacological effect in a castrated hamster model and their cytotoxic activity on a panel of cancer cells (PC-3, MCF7, SK-LU-1). The results showed that only the derivatives with an alicyclic ester at C-3 showed 5α-R2 enzyme inhibition activity, the most potent of them being 21-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-20-oxopregna-5,16-dien-3ß-yl-cyclohexanecarboxylate with an IC50 of 29nM. This is important because prostatic benign hyperplasia is directly associated with the presence of 5α-R2. However, all the derivatives failed to inhibit 5α-R1 or bind to the AR. These alicyclic ester derivatives decreased the weight and size of androgen-dependent glands in the hamster, indicating they are very active in vivo and are not toxic. In addition, the 21-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-20-oxopregna-5,16-dien-3ß-yl-acetate derivative showed the highest cytotoxic activity on the three cancer cell lines studied. It is therefore important in the synthesis of steroidal compounds to consider the size of the ester moiety at C-3 of the steroid skeleton, which is key in obtaining biological activity, as observed in this experiment.

Synthesis of 17ß-N-arylcarbamoylandrost-4-en-3-one derivatives and their anti-proliferative effect on human androgen-sensitive LNCaP cell line.

In this study, we report the synthesis and anti-proliferative effect of a set of eight androst-4-ene-3-one derivatives with different arylcarbamoyl groups at C-17. The novel compounds were prepared from commercially available 3ß-hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one and evaluated against the androgen-sensitive human prostate adenocarcinoma LNCaP cell line. The cancerous cells were exposed to 50 µM of each compound and the proliferating agent testosterone (T) or dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The most potent compounds from this assay were further tested against the androgen-insensitive PC3 cell line. We also demonstrate the activity of these compounds on rat peripheral blood mononuclear cells for comparison. Both 17ß-N-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenylcarbamoyl]androst-4-ene-3-one (6f) and 17ß-N-(1,3-thiazol-2-ylcarbamoyl)androst-4-ene-3-one (6g) exhibited a higher growth inhibitory effect than commercially available drugs finasteride, flutamide and ketoconazole on LNCaP cells in the presence and absence of androgens. In addition, 6f and 6g demonstrated high potency on PC3 cells suggesting an androgen-independent anti-proliferative effect. Moreover, the novel compounds showed a small effect on rat mononuclear cells, an indication of low toxicity.

Synthesis and biological activity of two pregnane derivatives with a triazole or imidazole ring at C-21.

Pregnane derivatives are studied as agents for the treatment of different hormone-dependent diseases. The biological importance of these steroids is based on their potential use against cancer. In this study, we report the synthesis, characterization and biological activity of two pregnane derivatives with a triazole (3ß-hydroxy-21-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pregna-5,16-dien-20-one; T-OH) or imidazole (3ß-hydroxy-21-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)pregna-5,16-dien-20-one; I-OH) moieties at C-21. These derivatives were synthesized from 16-dehydropregnenolone acetate. The activity on cell proliferation of the compounds was measured on three human cancer cells lines: prostate cancer (PC-3), breast cancer (MCF7) and lung cancer (SK-LU-1). The cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of T-OH and I-OH were assessed by using SBR and XTT methods, respectively. The gene expressions were evaluated by real time PCR. In addition, results were complemented by docking studies and transactivation assays using an expression vector to progesterone and androgen receptor. Results show that the two compounds inhibited the three cell lines proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Compound I-OH downregulated the gene expression of the cyclins D1 and E1 in PC-3 and MFC7 cells; however, effect upon Ki-67, EAG1, BIM or survivin genes was not observed. Docking studies show poor interaction with the steroid receptors. Nevertheless, the transactivation assays show a weak antagonist effect of I-OH on progesterone receptor but not androgenic or antiandrogenic actions. In conclusion, the synthesized compounds inhibited cell proliferation as well as genes key to cell cycle of PC-3 and MCF7 cell lines. Therefore, these compounds could be considered a good starting point for the development of novel therapeutic alternatives to treat cancer.

Recent Advances in Drug Design and Drug Discovery for Androgen- Dependent Diseases.

This article summarizes the importance of different targets such as 5α-reductase, 17ß-HSD, CYP17A, androgen receptor and protein kinase A for the treatment of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is a well known fact that dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is associated with the development of androgen-dependent afflictions. At the present time, several research groups are attempting to develop new steroidal and non-steroidal molecules with the purpose of inhibiting the synthesis and biological response of DHT. This review also discusses the most recent studies reported in the literature that describe the therapeutic potential of novel compounds, as well as the new drugs, principally inhibitors of 5α-reductase.

Activity landscape analysis of novel 5α-reductase inhibitors.

Inhibitors of the enzyme 5[Formula: see text]-reductase (5aR) are promising therapeutic agents for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. The lack of structural data of the enzyme 5aR prompts the application of ligand-based approaches to systematically explore the activity landscape of 5aR inhibitors. As part of an effort to develop inhibitors of this enzyme for the treatment of BPH, herein we discuss a chemoinformatic-based analysis of the activity landscape of a novel set of 53 novel pregnane and androstene compounds. It was found that, in general, for each pair of compounds in the set, as the structure similarity of the compounds increases the corresponding potency difference decreases. These results are in agreement with an overall smooth activity landscape. However, two potent activity cliff generators were identified pointing to specific small structural changes that have a large impact on the inhibition of 5aR.

Novel dehydroepiandrosterone benzimidazolyl derivatives as 5α-reductase isozymes inhibitors.

5α-R isozymes (types 1 and 2) play an important role in prostate gland development because they are responsible for intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels when the physiological serum testosterone (T) concentration is low. In this study, we synthesized seven novel dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives with benzimidazol moiety at C-17, and determined their effect on the activity of 5α-reductase types 1 and 2. The derivatives with an aliphatic ester at C-3 of the dehydroepiandrosterone scaffold induced specific inhibition of 5α-R1 activity, whereas those with a cycloaliphatic ester (cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, or cyclopentyl ring) or an alcohol group at C-3 inhibited the activity of both isozymes. Derivatives with a cyclohexyl or cycloheptyl ester at C-3 showed no inhibitory activity. In pharmacological experiments, derivatives with esters having an alcohol or the aliphatic group or one of the three smaller cycloaliphatic rings at C-3 decreased the diameter of male hamster flank organs, with the cyclobutyl and cyclopentyl esters exhibiting higher effect. With exception of the cyclobutyl and cyclopentyl esters, these compounds reduced the weight of the prostate and seminal vesicles.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of esters of 16-formyl-17-methoxy-dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives as inhibitors of 5α-reductase type 2.

In this study, we investigated the in vitro effect of 16-formyl-17-methoxy dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives on the activity of 5α-reductase type 2 (5α-R2) obtained from human prostate. The activity of different concentrations of these derivatives was determined for the conversion of labelled testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. The results indicated that an aliphatic ester moiety at the C-3 position of these derivatives increases their in vitro potency as inhibitors of 5α-R2 activity compared to finasteride®, which is considered to be a potent inhibitor of 5α-R2. In this case, the augmentation of the lipophilicity of these dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives increased their potency as inhibitors of 5α-R2. However, the presence of cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl or cycloheptyl rings as the cycloaliphatic ester moiety at C-3 of the formyl methoxy dehydroepiandrosterone scaffold did not inhibit the activity of this enzyme. This may be due to the presence of steric factors between the enzyme and the spatial structure of these derivatives.

Biological activity of pyrazole and imidazole-dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives on the activity of 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

The enzyme type 5 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 5 (17ß-HSD5) catalyzes the transformation of androstenedione (4-dione) to testosterone (T) in the prostate. This metabolic pathway remains active in cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy. Since physicians seek to develop advantageous and better new treatments to increase the average survival of these patients, we synthesized several different dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives. These compounds have a pyrazole or imidazole function at C-17 and an ester moiety at C-3 and were studied as inhibitors of 17ß-HSD5. The kinetic parameters of this enzyme were determined for use in inhibition assays. Their pharmacological effect was also determined on gonadectomized hamsters treated with Δ(4)-androstenedione (4-dione) or testosterone (T) and/or the novel compounds. The results indicated that the incorporation of a heterocycle at C-17 induced strong 17ß-HSD5 inhibition. These derivatives decreased flank organ diameter and prostate weight in castrated hamsters treated with T or 4-dione. Inhibition of 17ß-HSD5 by these compounds could have therapeutic potential for the treatment of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Synthesis and activity of novel 16-dehydropregnenolone acetate derivatives as inhibitors of type 1 5α-reductase and on cancer cell line SK-LU-1.

Testosterone (T) plays a crucial role in prostate growth. In androgen-dependent tissues T is reduced to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) because of the presence of the 5α-reductase enzyme. This androgen is more active than T, since it has a higher affinity for the androgen receptor (AR). When this mechanism is altered, androgen-dependent diseases, including prostate cancer, could result. The aim of this study was to synthesize several 16-dehydropregnenolone acetate derivatives containing a triazole ring at C-21 and a linear or alicyclic ester moiety at C-3 of the steroidal skeleton. These steroids were designed as potential inhibitors of the activity of both types (1 and 2) of 5α-reductase. The cytotoxic activity of these compounds was also evaluated on a panel of PC-3, MCF7, and SK-LU-1 human cancer cell lines. The results from this study showed that with the exception of steroids 20-oxo-21-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)pregna-5,16-dien-3ß-yl-propionate and 20-oxo-21-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)pregna-5,16-dien-3ß-yl-pentanoate, the compounds exhibit a lower inhibitory activity for both isoenzymes of 5α-reductase than finasteride. Furthermore the 3ß-hydroxy-21-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)pregna-5,16-dien-20-one and 20-oxo-21-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)pregna-5,16-dien-3ß-yl-acetate derivatives display 80% cytotoxic activity on the SK-LU-1 cell line. These results also indicated that the triazole derivatives, which have a hydroxyl or acetoxy group at C-3, could have an anticancer effect, whereas the derivatives with a alicyclic ester group at C-3 do not show biological activity.

Synthesis and Identification of Pregnenolone Derivatives as Inhibitors of Isozymes of 5α-Reductase.

Hyperplasia of the prostate gland and prostate cancer have been associated with high levels of serum 5α-dihydrotestosterone. This steroid is formed from testosterone by the activity of the enzyme 5α-reductase (5α-R) present in the prostate. Thus, inhibition of this enzyme could be a goal for therapies to treat these diseases. This study reports the synthesis and effects of five different 21-esters of pregnenolone derivatives as inhibitors of 5α-R types 1 and 2. The activity of these steroidal compounds was determined using in vivo and in vitro experiments. The results indicate that of the five steroids studied, the 21(p-fluoro)benzoyloxypregna-4,16-diene-3,6,20-trione derivative, whose structure has not yet been reported, has the best molecular conformation to inhibit the in vitro activity of both types of 5α-R. In addition, this steroid also displayed activity in vivo. Apparently, its pharmacological effect was increased by the presence of a keto group at C-6, because this group decreased the possibility that the steroid would be metabolized by hepatic enzymes. In addition, the double bond present at C-4 of this compound also enhanced its inhibitory activity on 5α-R, and the C-21 ester moiety increased its liphophilicity. Therefore, its solubility in the cell membrane and its pharmacological activity were both increased.

Effect of new hybrids based on 5,16-pregnadiene scaffold linked to an anti-inflammatory drug on the growth of a human astrocytoma cell line (U373).

In spite of the fact that anaplastic astrocytoma is an uncommon disease, very often the pathology of this disease is associated with lethal effects due to the late diagnosis and unspecific treatments. This paper reports the synthesis and the biological effect on the growth of U373 cell line (human anaplastic astrocytoma) of new hybrid compounds based on 5,16-pregnadiene scaffold linked to an anti-inflammatory drug (6a-e). Moreover, we also determined the cell growth effect of five non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (naproxen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, indomethacin and sulindac) as well as the free steroidal alcohol 5. The results from this study indicated that sulindac as well as compound 5 decreased the number of U373 cells at different concentrations. However, when an anti-inflammatory drug was bound to the steroidal structure (5), the resulting compounds (6a-e) showed an enhanced biological effect with exception of hybrid 6c. Furthermore, derivative 6e (sulindac hybrid) did not allow cell growth during six days of experiment at a concentration of 10 µM. The overall data indicated that these molecules showed an anti-proliferative activity on anaplastic astrocytoma cell line.

Recent advances in structure of progestins and their binding to progesterone receptors.

The role of progesterone in women's cancers as well as the knowledge of the progesterone receptor (PR) structure has prompted the design of different therapies. The aim of this review is to describe the basic structure of PR agonists and antagonists as well as the recent treatments for illness associated with the progesterone receptor. The rational design for potent and effective drugs for the treatment of female cancer must consider the structural changes of the androgen and progestogen skeleton which are an indicator of their activity as progestins or antiprogestins. The presence of a hydroxyl group at C-17 in the progesterone skeleton brings about a loss of progestational activity whereas acetylation induces a progestational effect. The incorporation of an ethynyl functional group to the testosterone framework results in a loss of androgenic activity with a concomitant enhancement of the progestational effect. On the other hand, an ester function at C-3 of dehydroepiandrosterone skeleton induces partial antagonism to the PR.

Effect of two antiandrogens as protectors of prostate and brain in a Huntington's animal model.

The purpose of this work is to know the effect of flutamide and a novel synthetic steroid 3ß-p-Iodobenzoyloxypregnan-4,16- diene-6,20-dione (IBP) on the levels of dopamine, 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindole acetic acid), and some oxidative stress markers in animal model with Huntington disease. Thirty male Wistar rats divided in groups of 6 animals each were subjected to the following treatment: group A, 3-nitro propionic acid (3-NPA, as inducer of Huntington); group B, flutamide; group C, 3-NPA + flutamide; group D, IBP; and group E, 3-NPA + IBP. Treatment scheme for all groups were at 4 mg/kg/day administered intraperitoneally. The measurement of haemoglobin was carried out from blood while the concentrations of ATPase, 5α-reductase, reduced glutathione (GSH), calcium, H2O2, 5-HIAA, and dopamine were determined from brain and prostate tissues using validated methods. The results depicted a significant decrease of dopamine and GSH in cerebellum/Medulla oblongata of animals treated with IBP. The prostate gland of the same group of treatment also showed a significant decrease in the concentrations of TBARS, H2O2, and total ATPase. In hemispheres of groups D and E, dopamine, H2O2, and total ATPase decreased significantly while in prostate, hemispheres, and cerebellum/Medulla oblongata of groups B and C; calcium, 5α-reductase, ATPase, H2O2, and TBARS were found to witness a significant decrease. Results showed an antiandrogenic activity of flutamide, while the novel steroid IBP showed neuroprotective properties by changes on oxidative stress biomarkers as critical pathways leading to prostate and brain degeneration. Probably steroid homeostasis disequilibrium could have led to alterations in dopamine metabolism GSH in Huntington's disease animal models.

Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives on the activity of 5α-reductase isoenzymes and on cancer cell line PC-3.

It is well known that testosterone (T) under the influence of 5α-reductase enzyme is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes androgen-dependent diseases. The aim of this study was to synthesize new dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives (3a-e, 4a-i, 6 and 7) having potential inhibitory activity against the 5α-reductase enzyme. This paper also reports the in vivo pharmacological effect of these steroidal molecules. The results from this study showed that all compounds exhibited low inhibitory activity for 5α-reductase type 1 and 2 enzymes and they failed to bind to the androgen receptor. Furthermore, in the in vivo experiment, steroids 3b, 4f, and 4 g showed comparable antiandrogenic activity to that of finasteride; only derivatives 4d and 7 produced a considerable decrease in the weight of the prostate gland of gonadectomized hamsters treated with (T). On the other hand, compounds 4a, f and h showed 100% inhibition of the growth of prostate cancer cell line PC-3, with compound 4 g having a 98.2% antiproliferative effect at 50 µM. The overall data indicated that these steroidal molecules, having an aromatic ester moiety at C-3 (4f-h), could have anticancer properties.

Synthesis and cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines and macrophages of novel progesterone derivatives having an ester or a carbamate function at C-3 and C-17.

In this study we report the cytotoxic effect on human cancer cells of two series of novel progesterone derivatives; the first containing an aromatic ester (8a-e) or a carbamate functions both linked to C-3 (9a-e) on the pregn-4,16-diene-6,20-dione skeleton. In the second series, both functional groups (ester and carbamate) are bound to C-17 on the pregn-4,6-diene-3,20-dione scaffold (13a-e and 14a-e). The panel cancer cell lines used in this study were the following: PC-3 (human prostate cancer cell line), MCF-7 (human breast cancer cell line), HCT-15 (human colon cancer cell line) and J774 (noncancerous murine macrophages) for comparison. The results from this study showed that steroid 14a, having a carbamate function at C-17, was the most potent against PC-3 cell line (96.6%) while 8c and 8e showed much higher cytotoxic activity (100%) for MCF-7 cell line. Finally, compounds 8c and 14a displayed selective properties towards tumor cell lines than noncancerous murine macrophages.

Assessment of a synthetic steroid and flutamide on dopamine, GSH and H2O2 levels in rat brain in presence of fructose.

UNLABELLED: Flutamide is a drug used in the treatment of androgen-dependent disorders. However, this treatment is usually accompanied by some adverse side effects. The aim of this work was to analyse the effect of flutamide and to compare this effect with that of a synthetic steroid - 3ß-propionyloxy-5-androsten-17-one (PPA) - on levels of dopamine and some oxidative stress markers. For this, thirty-six male young Wistar rats (65g) were recruited and divided into 6 groups. The groups were then treated as follows: Group 1 (control), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); group 2, flutamide (4 mg/kg); group 3, PPA; group 4, DMSO + fructose; group 5, flutamide + fructose; and group 6, PPA + fructose. The treatments were administered intraperitoneally at a daily dose of 4 mg/kg for 10 days. In the last day of treatment, blood samples were obtained and used to assess the levels of glucose and cholesterol. The animals were then sacrificed and their prostate gland and brains were obtained for measurement of 5α-reductase, glutathione (GSH), calcium, H2O2, and dopamine in cortex, hemispheres, and medulla/oblongata, using previously validated methods. RESULTS: Dopamine levels decreased while GSH increased significantly in cortex and hemispheres of animals that received PPA plus fructose. Also in the same group, GSH decreased in cerebellum/medulla oblongata when compared with control group. Peroxidation decreased significantly in all tissues of the groups, while ATPase activity witnessed a significant decrease in cortex and an increase in hemispheres of animal groups treated with flutamide and PPA both in combination with fructose. CONCLUSION: The steroid, 3ß-propionyloxy-5-androsten-17-one, may in part act as a neuroprotector mediated by the increase of GSH and decrease of H2O2. Besides, imbalance in steroid homeostasis may alter the metabolism of dopamine.

Effect of carbamates on mRNA encoding lipid enzymes in hamster flank organs.

Flank organs are an androgen-dependent pilosebaceous complex present in male and female hamsters. These organs have been used for the evaluation of antiandrogenic drugs, which could be used for the treatment of androgen-dependent afflictions. This study demonstrated the role of four different steroidal carbamates 7-10 in the expression of mRNAs coding for different enzymes involved in the lipid metabolism in flank organs. To determine the biological effects of compounds 7-10 on the expression of mRNA coding for lipid enzymes, steroids 7-10, testosterone (T), progesterone (P), and/or 7-10 were applied on the flank organs. Later, the mRNA expression for the enzymes was determined by polymerase chain reaction. The binding of 8 and 9 to the progesterone receptor (PR) as well as their effects on the activity of 5α-reductase were also evaluated. Treatments with T, P, and 7-10 increased the mRNA expression for glycerol 3-phosphate acyl transferase (GPAT), ß-hydroxy-ß-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMG-CoA-S), ß-hydroxy-ß-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-CoA-R), phosphatidylinositol synthase (PI-S), and squalene-synthase (SQ-S). However, the combined treatments with P + 7-10 decreased the expression of GPAT, HMG-CoA-S, and HMG-CoA-R. Expression of mRNA for all enzymes was variable under treatment with T + 7-10. Data showed that these carbamates did not bind to the PR, but inhibited the activity of 5α-reductase. Carbamates 7-10 changed the mRNA expression model induced by T and P in flank organs.