5α-R2 in transfected cell lines. Dutasteride Dutasteride inhibits 5α-reductase isoenzymes type 1 and 2 better than finasteride, leading to a more complete reduction in DHT at 24 weeks (94.7% versus 70.8%). It also reduces intraprostatic DHT 97% in men with prostate cancer at 5 mg/day over three months. A second study with 3.5 mg/day for 4 months decreased intraprostatic DHT even further by 99%. The suppression of DHT in vivo, and the report that dutasteride inhibits 5α-R3 in vitro suggest that dutasteride may be a triple 5α reductase inhibitor. Congenital deficiencies 5α-Reductase 1 5α-Reductase type 1 inactivated male mice have reduced bone mass and forelimb muscle grip strength, which has been proposed to be due to lack of 5α-reductase type 1 expression in bone and muscle. In 5 alpha reductase type 2 deficient males, the type 1 isoenzyme is thought to be responsible for their virilization at puberty. 5α-Reductase 2 Impaired 5α-reductase 2 activity can result from mutations in the underlying SRD5A2 gene. The condition, known as 5α-reductase 2 deficiency, has a range of presentations as atypical appearances of the external genitalia in males. This is because 5α-reductase 2 catalyzes the transformation of testosterone to the potent androgen dihydrotestosterone, which is required for the proper masculinization of male genitalia. 5α-Reductase 3 When small interfering RNA is used to knock down the expression of 5α-R3 isozyme in cell lines, there is decreased cell growth, viability, and a decrease in DHT/T ratios. It has also shown the ability to reduce testosterone, androstenedione, and progesterone in androgen stimulated prostate cell lines by adenovirus vectors. Congenital deficiency of 5α-R3 at the gene SRD53A has been linked to a rare, autosomal recessive condition in which patients are born with severe intellectual dysfunction and cerebellar and ocular defects. The presumed deficiency is reduction of the terminal bond of polyprenol to dolichol, an important step in N-glycosylation of proteins, which in turn is important for proper folding of asparagine residues on nascent protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. Nervous system Affective disorders Isolation rearing has been shown to lower protein expression of 5α-reductase isoenzymes 1 and 2 in cortical and subcortical brain regions of rat models. However, the amount of 5α-reduced metabolite remained unaffected. This means isolation rearing likely leads to changes in the expression and activity of 5α-reductase in the brain, leading to dysregulation of dopamine neurotransmission, resulting in early chronic stress Treatment with finasteride, a 5α-reductase