Flaxseed suppressed prostatic epithelial proliferation in a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia

The Impact of Diet and Nutrition on Prostate Cancer - Food for Thought?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men. Its incidence varies widely and is influenced by geographic location, race, ethnicity, lifestyle factors, and diet. The purpose of this review is to discuss the association between prostate cancer and diet and outline the impact of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and phytonutrients on the pathogenesis of disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although conclusive evidence is limited, current data is indicative that a diet low in particular fats, animal proteins, dairy products and high in vegetables and fruits can be beneficial in supporting the course of disease. Promoting a dietary pattern low in processed meat, dairy products, refined carbohydrates and saturated fats, but high in fruits and vegetables may have beneficial effects on prostate metabolism and inhibit various stages of carcinogenesis.

Probenecid ameliorates testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia: Implications of PGE-2 on ADAM-17/EGFR/ERK1/2 signaling cascade

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most prevalent clinical disorders in the elderly. Probenecid (Prob) is a well-known FDA-approved therapy for gout owing to its uricosuric effect. The present study evaluated the use of Prob for BPH as a COX-2 inhibitor. Prob (100 and 200 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected into male Wistar rats daily for 3 weeks. In the second week, testosterone (3 mg/kg) was subcutaneously injected to induce BPH. Compared with BPH-induced rats, Prob treatment reduced prostate weight and index and improved histopathological architecture. The protease activity of ADAM-17/TACE and its ligands (TGF-α and TNF-α) were regulated by prob, which in turn abolished EGFR phosphorylation, and several inflammatory mediators (COX-2, PGE2, NF-κB (p65), and IL-6) were suppressed. By reducing the nuclear import of extracellular regulated kinase protein 1/2 (ERK1/2), Prob helped re-establish the usual equilibrium between antiapoptotic proteins like Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 and proapoptotic proteins like Bax. All of these data point to Prob as a promising treatment for BPH because of its ability to inhibit COX-2-syntheiszed PGE2 and control the ADAM-17/TGF-α-induced EGFR/ERK1/2 signaling cascade. These findings might help to repurpose Prob for the treatment of BPH.

Simvastatin ameliorates testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia in rats via modulating IGF-1/PI3K/AKT/FOXO signaling

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is characterized by non-malignant enlargement of prostate cells causing many lower urinary tract symptoms. BPH pathogenesis includes androgens receptors signaling pathways, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and possibly changes in IGF-1/PI3K/AKT/FOXO pathway. Altogether, modulating IGF-1/PI3K/AKT/FOXO signaling along with regulating oxidative stress and apoptosis might preserve prostatic cells from increased proliferation. Beyond statins' common uses, they also have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects. This study aims to determine simvastatin's beneficial effect on testosterone-induced BPH. Rats were randomly allocated into four groups, 9 rats each. The control group received olive oil subcutaneously and distilled water orally for 30 consecutive days. The second group received simvastatin (20 mg/kg, p.o.) dissolved in distilled water. The BPH-induced group received testosterone enanthate (3 mg/kg, s.c.) dissolved in olive oil, and the BPH-induced treated group received both simvastatin and testosterone. Testosterone significantly increased prostate index and severity of histopathological alterations in prostate tissues as well as 5-alpha reductase enzyme level in contrast to simvastatin treatment that reversed the testosterone-induced alterations in these parameters. Likewise, testosterone up-regulated IGF-1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and down-regulated FOXO transcription factor. It also decreased apoptotic markers level in prostatic tissue BAX, caspase-3, and caspase-9, while it elevated Bcl-2 level. In addition, it alleviated reduced GSH and GPX5 levels and SOD activity. Simvastatin treatment significantly opposed testosterone's effect on all aforementioned parameters. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that simvastatin is a possible treatment for BPH which may be attributed to its effect on IGF-1/PI3K/AKT/FOXO signaling pathway as well as anti-oxidant and apoptotic effects.

Cyclooxygenase-2 activates EGFR-ERK1/2 pathway via PGE2-mediated ADAM-17 signaling in testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN

Prostatic inflammation is the driving force in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This work investigated the potential modulatory effect of COX-2 inhibition on ADAM-17/EGFR/ERK1/2 axis.

MATERIALS OR SUBJECTS

Adult male Wistar rats were used.

TREATMENT

Celecoxib (10 and 20 mg/kg; i.p.) was injected i.p. daily for three weeks. Testosterone (TST) (3 mg/kg; s.c.) was used to induce BPH.

METHODS

Prostatic inflammation and hyperplasia were assessed by organ weight and histopathology. Inflammatory mediators were measured using ELISA technique. Protein analysis was performed using western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Gene expression analysis was performed using qRT-PCR. Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison test.

RESULTS

Testosterone-treated rats had a marked increase in COX-2, prostate weight, and index. Moreover, TST-induced COX-2 was inferred from cytoskeletal changes and was attributable to the overexpression of PGE2, NF-κB (p65), and IL-6. COX-2-derived PGE2 increased the activity of ADAM-17, TGF-α, and TNF-α. Consequently, EGFR-ERK1/2 pathway was over-activated, disrupting anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, cyclin D1, and pro-apoptotic Bax. Celecoxib reversed these effects.

CONCLUSION

COX-2 stimulates the ERK1/2 pathway via PGE2-ADAM-17-catalyzed shedding of TGF-α in testosterone-induced BPH. The results indicate a functional correlation between inflammation and hyperplasia in BPH.

Relationship between Dietary Patterns with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Erectile Dysfunction: A Collaborative Review

Interest in the role of dietary patterns has been consistently emerging in recent years due to much research that has documented the impact of metabolism on erectile dysfunction (ED) and/or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We conducted a non-systematic review of English articles published from 1964 to September 2021. The search terms were: (“dietary patterns” OR “diet”) AND/OR (“erectile dysfunction”) AND/OR (“benign prostatic hyperplasia”). In the present review, we have highlighted how the association between dietary patterns and two of the most frequent pathologies in urology, namely erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia, is present in the literature. The data suggested that a diet that is more adherent to the Mediterranean diet or that emphasizes the presence of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and fish or other sources of long-chain (n-3) fats, in addition to reduced content of red meat, may have a beneficial role on erectile function. At the same time, the same beneficial effects can be transferred to BPH as a result of the indirect regulatory effects on prostatic growth and smooth muscle tone, thus determining an improvement in symptoms. Certainly, in-depth studies and translational medicine are needed to confirm these encouraging data.

6-sialyllactose ameliorates dihydrotestosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia through suppressing VEGF-mediated angiogenesis

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common disease in elderly males, is accompanied by non-malignant growth of prostate tissues, subsequently causing hypoxia and angiogenesis. Although VEGF-related angiogenesis is one of the therapeutic targets of prostate cancer, there is no previous study targeting angiogenesis for treatment of BPH. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in prostate epithelial RWPE-1 cells and human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Conditioned media (CM) from DHT-treated RWPE-1 cells were transferred to HUVECs. Then, 6SL inhibited proliferation, VEGFR-2 activation, and tube formation of HUVECs transferred with CM from DHT-treated RWPE-1 cells. In the rat BPH model, 6SL reduced prostate weight, size, and thickness of the prostate tissue. Formation of vessels in prostatic tissues were also reduced with 6SL treatment. We found that 6SL has an ameliorative effect on in vitro and in vivo the BPH model via inhibition of VEGFR-2 activation and subsequent angiogenesis. These results suggest that 6SL might be a candidate for development of novel BPH drugs.

A pilot study of clinical results of Odyliresin (Iresine celosia) in symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia

Aim:

The aim of this pilot clinical trial was to determine if Odyliresin ( Iresine celosia), a cytochrome-flavoprotein with a powerful anti-oxidant action on cells, has a therapeutic effect on benign prostatic hyperplasia-related lower urinary tract symptoms, reducing symptoms and prostate volume, improving the patient’s quality of life and eventually limiting the number of patients who require surgery or endoscopy after medical treatment.

Methods:

Thirty patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia-related lower urinary tract symptoms were recruited and followed up. Primary outcomes were assessed using International Prostate Symptom Score symptom questionnaires, quality of life score, examination, prostate-specific antigen, transrectal ultrasound, uroflowmetry with post-void residual volume. Once recruited, patients were assigned for treatment: alpha-antagonist (alfuzosin 10 mg)+Odyliresin ( Iresine celosia) 2 ml, 20 drops once daily.

Results:

The results for quantitative variables were expressed as mean values and standard deviation as they were all normally distributed (Shapiro–Wilk test). The study included 30 patients with an average age of 68 years (range 56–80 years). The statistical analysis of data reports significant improvement of mean values of maximum urinary flow rate (+1.2, p=0.050), average flow rate (+0.47, p>0.002), International Prostate Symptom Score (–4.8, p=0.000), quality of life (–1.4, p=0.000), total prostatic volume (–1.7, p=0.000), prostatic adenoma (–6.9, p=0.000) and post-void residual volume (–17.8, p>0.004) between baseline and 12 months after treatment. No patient had acute urinary retention during treatment or need for benign prostatic hyperplasia-related surgery at the end of the 12-month treatment.

Conclusions:

All patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia-related lower urinary tract symptoms received both alphalitic and Odyliresin treatment. Clinical parameters and uroflowmetry parameters significantly improved, adenoma volume and post-void residual volume were significantly reduced at 12 months. This is the first clinical experience with Iresine celosia, a phytotherapeutic agent with no scientifically proven clinical efficacy so far in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Flaxseed reduces epithelial proliferation but does not affect basal cells in induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats

PURPOSE

This study aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the effects of a flaxseed-based diet on the histoarchitecture of the prostate of normal Wistar rats and of rats with induced BPH.

METHODS

The study included four experimental groups of ten animals each: casein control group (CCG), who were fed a casein-based diet; flaxseed control group (FCG), who were fed a flaxseed-based diet; hyperplasia-induced casein group (HICG), who were fed a casein-based diet; and hyperplasia-induced flaxseed group (HIFG), who were fed a flaxseed-based diet. Hyperplasia was induced by the subcutaneous implantation of silicone pellets containing testosterone propionate. After 20 weeks, the rats were euthanized and their prostate fixed in buffered formalin. Tissue sections were stained with HE, picrosirius red and immunostained for nuclear antigen p63. Histomorphometric analysis evaluated the epithelial thickness, epithelial area, individual luminal area, and total area of prostatic alveoli.

RESULTS

The mean epithelial thickness obtained for HIFG and HICG was 16.52 ± 1.65 and 20.58 ± 2.86 µm, respectively. The mean epithelial thickness in HICG was greater than that in the other groups tested. HIFG had a smaller epithelial thickness and lower percentage of papillary projections in the prostatic alveoli. No significant difference was observed between CCG and FCG. The total area and mean alveolar area showed no significant differences between the groups. The number of cells immunostained for p63 was not significantly different between the groups evaluated.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that flaxseed has a protective effect on the prostate epithelium in BPH-induced animals.