Like other NSAAs such as flutamide and bicalutamide, nilutamide, without concomitant GnRH analogue therapy, increases serum androgen ( by two-fold in the case of testosterone ), estrogen, and prolactin levels due to inhibition of AR-mediated suppression of steroidogenesis via negative feedback on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
32.
"' SSR-180, 575 "'is a drug which acts as a selective agonist at the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor, also known as the mitochondrial 18 kDa translocator protein or TSPO . It has been shown to have neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects and to stimulate steroidogenesis of pregnenolone in the brain, which may be linked to its neuroprotective action.
33.
"' FGIN-1-43 "'is an anxiolytic drug which acts as a selective agonist at the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor, also known as the mitochondrial 18 kDa translocator protein or TSPO . It is thought to produce anxiolytic effects by stimulating steroidogenesis of neuroactive steroids such as allopregnanolone, and is several times more potent than the related drug FGIN-127.
34.
The results suggest that trophic hormones ( e . g ., leutenizing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone ) stimulate these steroid producing cells to make 5-( " S " )-HETE and 5-( " S " ) HpEPE which in turn increase the synthesis of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein; the latter protein promotes the rate-limiting step in steroidogenesis, transfer of cholesterol from the outer to the inner membrane of mitochondria and thereby acts in conjunction with trophic hormone-induce activation of protein kinase A to make progesterone and testosterone.
