OBJECTIVE Because epidemiologic evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D may play a role in the etiology of prostate cancer, we tested the inhibitory effect of the biologically active form of vitamin D (1,25-D) on the cell proliferation of human prostate epithelial and stromal cells in a chemically defined situation in the presence and absence of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). We also tested the effect of 1,25-D in castrated rats in the presence and absence of flutamide, an androgen receptor blocker. METHODS Prostate stromal and epithelial cells were isolated from freshly collected human prostatectomy specimens, and cell proliferation was measured with the MTT assay. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the presence of 1,25-D receptors, androgen receptors, smooth muscle actin, and E-cadherin. For in vivo analysis of 1,25-D, male Sprague-Dawley rats were castrated, then treated with either 1,25-D, 1,25-D with flutamide, or vehicle control. RESULTS Incubation of primary cultures of prostate epithelial cells with 1,25-D at a concentration of 10(-8) M reduced cell proliferation by 40% of controls. The inhibition of growth by 1,25-D was maintained in the presence of DHT. Conversely, the effect of a similar dose of 1,25-D on stromal cell exposure was increased proliferation. In vivo, 1,25-D increased the prostatic weight of castrated rats that had serum testosterone levels below the detectable limit. The addition of flutamide did not alter this effect. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm that vitamin D may be an effective antiproliferative agent of epithelial cells in prostate cancer therapy and support in vivo studies performed in the normal rat prostate.