Annotation of androgen dependence to human prostate cancer-associated genes by microarray analysis of mouse prostate

In silico methods and array technologies have identified genes differentially expressed in prostate cancer. Biological functions of the identified genes are often unclear. Considering the biological significance of androgens in prostate cancer, we profiled the prostate transcripts of congenital androgen-deficient mice with or without androgen replacement in vivo using murine gene expression array. In parallel genes differentially expressed in human prostate cancer were identified by Digital Differential Display and the Serial Analysis of Gene Expression. Androgen dependence of the identified genes was then determined by the steady-state mRNA levels of the murine orthologs in response to androgen treatment. The annotation is supported by the finding that some of the androgen target genes have been reported previously with independent experiments.