Experimental & molecular medicineOct 7, 2026

Macrophage cell death may cause aging and cell changes in prostate growth treated with 5α-reductase inhibitors

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Updated Oct 9, 2026

Abstract

A 13-gene pyroptosis-macrophage signature (PM-13) may help identify patient responsiveness to 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In tissue exposed to 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, an increase in macrophages displaying cleaved GSDMD and higher epithelial expression of p16^INK4A is observed.
Macrophage-epithelium hotspots are identified, highlighting significant MIF-CD74 and HMGB1-AGER signaling interactions.
Under treatment pressure, luminal cells secrete factors that recruit macrophages through MIF-CD74, leading to macrophage pyroptosis and subsequent epithelial senescence.
Epithelial reprogramming from luminal to club cells occurs through a process partially linked to Notch signaling.
In a mouse model, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor treatment enhances macrophage pyroptosis and club cell programs, while deletion of Gsdmd reduces these effects.
Targeting MIF-CD74, HMGB1-AGER, Notch, and GSDMD may offer potential therapeutic strategies for managing benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Simplified

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common age-associated disease whose prevalence rises sharply with advancing age. Therapeutic responses to 5α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) in BPH are heterogeneous and may ultimately culminate in the need for surgery; however, the mechanisms that permit disease progression during treatment remain unclear. Here we integrate spatial and single-cell transcriptomics with functional perturbations and mouse genetics to delineate a macrophage-orchestrated pyroptosis-senescence-club axis in the human prostate. In 5-ARI-exposed tissue, we observe enrichment of cleaved-GSDMD⁺ macrophages, elevated epithelial p16^INK4A expression and expansion of SCGB1A1⁺ club cells. Spatial mapping pinpoints macrophage-epithelium hotspots with prominent MIF-CD74 and HMGB1-AGER signaling. Under 5-ARI pressure, luminal-cell secretomes recruit macrophages via MIF-CD74, and pyroptotic macrophages release HMGB1 that activates epithelial AGER to trigger luminal G1 arrest and senescence, which in turn promotes luminal-to-club reprogramming through a partially Notch-associated program. Blockade of MIF-CD74 or HMGB1-AGER attenuates macrophage pyroptosis and luminal senescence, whereas Notch inhibition partially reverses epithelial remodeling. A 13-gene pyroptosis-macrophage signature (PM-13) stratifies patient responsiveness to 5-ARIs. In a castration/testosterone-induced mouse BPH model, 5-ARI treatment amplifies pyroptotic macrophages and club programs, whereas Gsdmd deletion blunts pyroptosis and dampens senescence/club transcriptional states. These findings nominate druggable nodes-MIF-CD74, HMGB1-AGER, Notch and GSDMD-as candidate targets for therapeutic intervention and patient stratification in BPH under 5-ARI therapy.Keywords: spatial and single-cell transcriptomics; benign prostatic hyperplasia; 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors; cellular senescence; macrophage pyroptosis; luminal-to-club conversion; MIF-CD74/HMGB1-AGER signaling; GSDMD.

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Macrophage cell death may cause aging and cell changes in prostate growth treated with 5α-reductase inhibitors

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