Which hormone is mainly responsible for prostatic hypertrophy?

Ans. is 'd' i.e., DHT "DHT is one of the most important androgen responsible for the development and activity of the male sex organs and characteristics, and prostate growth." -Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia p. 90Hormones in BPH* Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a metabolite of testosterone, is the most important mediator of prostatic growth.DHT is synthesized in the prostate from circulating testosterone by the action of the enzyme 5a-reductase, type 2. DHT can act in an autocrine fashion on the stromal cells or in paracrine fashion by diffusing into nearby epithelial cells. In both of these cell types, DHT binds to nuclear androgen receptors and signals the transcription of growth factors.* DHT is ten times more potent than testosterone because it dissociates from the androgen receptor more slowly.* Testosterone promotes prostate cell proliferation but relatively low levels of serum testosterone are found in patients with BPH.* Estrogen may also contribute to BPH, this effect appears to be mediated mainly through local conversion of androgens to estrogen in the prostate tissue rather than a direct effect of estrogen itself. Aging in men is associated with an increase in the activity of an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen