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Xie H, Guo L, Ma Q, Zhang W, Yang Z, Wang Z, Peng S, Wang K, Wen S, Shang Z, Niu Y. YAP is required for prostate development, regeneration, and prostate stem cell function. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:339. [PMID: 37689711 PMCID: PMC10492789 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01637-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate development and regeneration depend on prostate stem cell function, the delicate balance of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. However, mechanisms modulating prostate stem cell function remain poorly identified. Here, we explored the roles of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) in prostate stem cells, prostate development and regeneration. Using YAPfl/fl, CD133-CreER mice, we found that stem cell-specific YAP-deficient mice had compromised branching morphogenesis and epithelial differentiation, resulting in damaged prostate development. YAP inhibition also significantly affected the regeneration process of mice prostate, leading to impaired regenerated prostate. Furthermore, YAP ablation in prostate stem cells significantly reduced its self-renewal activity in vitro, and attenuated prostate regeneration of prostate grafts in vivo. Further analysis revealed a decrease in Notch and Hedgehog pathways expression in YAP inhibition cells, and treatment with exogenous Shh partially restored the self-renewal ability of prostate sphere cells. Taken together, our results revealed the roles of YAP in prostate stem cell function and prostate development and regeneration through regulation of the Notch and Hedgehog signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xie
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China
| | - Linpei Guo
- Gene and Immunotherapy Center, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, 250033, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qianwang Ma
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenyi Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhao Yang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhun Wang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuanghe Peng
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China
| | - Keruo Wang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China
| | - Simeng Wen
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhiqun Shang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China.
| | - Yuanjie Niu
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, The second hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 300211, Tianjin, China.
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Zheng N, Zhang W, Zhang X, Li B, Wu Z, Weng Y, Wang W, Miao J, Yang J, Zhang M, Xia W. RA-RAR signaling promotes mouse vaginal opening through increasing β-catenin expression and vaginal epithelial cell apoptosis. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2023; 21:36. [PMID: 37041518 PMCID: PMC10088237 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-023-01084-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Retinoic acid (RA) plays important role in the maintenance and differentiation of the Müllerian ducts during the embryonic stage via RA receptors (RARs). However, the function and mechanism of RA-RAR signaling in the vaginal opening are unknown. METHOD We used the Rarα knockout mouse model and the wild-type ovariectomized mouse models with subcutaneous injection of RA (2.5 mg/kg) or E2 (0.1 µg/kg) to study the role and mechanism of RA-RAR signaling on the vaginal opening. The effects of Rarα deletion on Ctnnb1 mRNA levels and cell apoptosis in the vaginas were analyzed by real-time PCR and immunofluorescence, respectively. The effects of RA on the expression of β-catenin and apoptosis in the vaginas were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blotting. The effects of E2 on RA signaling molecules were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blotting. RESULTS RA signaling molecules were expressed in vaginal epithelial cells, and the mRNA and/or protein levels of RALDH2, RALDH3, RARα and RARγ reached a peak at the time of vaginal opening. The deletion of Rarα resulted in 25.0% of females infertility due to vaginal closure, in which the mRNA (Ctnnb1, Bak and Bax) and protein (Cleaved Caspase-3) levels were significantly decreased, and Bcl2 mRNA levels were significantly increased in the vaginas. The percentage of vaginal epithelium with TUNEL- and Cleaved Caspase-3-positive signals were also significantly decreased in Rarα-/- females with vaginal closure. Furthermore, RA supplementation of ovariectomized wild-type (WT) females significantly increased the expression of β-catenin, active β-catenin, BAK and BAX, and significantly decreased BCL2 expression in the vaginas. Thus, the deletion of Rarα prevents vaginal opening by reducing the vaginal β-catenin expression and epithelial cell apoptosis. The deletion of Rarα also resulted in significant decreases in serum estradiol (E2) and vagina Raldh2/3 mRNA levels. E2 supplementation of ovariectomized WT females significantly increased the expression of RA signaling molecules in the vaginas, suggesting that the up-regulation of RA signaling molecules in the vaginas is dependent on E2 stimulation. CONCLUSION Taken together, we propose that RA-RAR signaling in the vaginas promotes vaginal opening through increasing β-catenin expression and vaginal epithelial cell apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Zheng
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Centre, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510180, China
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiaodan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Biao Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Zhanying Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yashuang Weng
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Weiyong Wang
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jingjing Miao
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jing Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China
| | - Meijia Zhang
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Wei Xia
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Centre, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510180, China.
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Morphometric Analysis of Rat Prostate Development: Roles of MEK/ERK and Rho Signaling Pathways in Prostatic Morphogenesis. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11121829. [PMID: 34944473 PMCID: PMC8698940 DOI: 10.3390/biom11121829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms underlying prostate development can provide clues for prostate cancer research. It has been demonstrated that MEK/ERK signaling downstream of androgen-targeted FGF10 signaling directly induces prostatic branching during development, while Rho/Rho-kinase can regulate prostate cell proliferation. MEK/ERK and Rho/Rho kinase regulate myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and MLCK regulates myosin light chain phosphorylation (MLC-P), which is critical for cell fate, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, the roles and crosstalk of the MEK/ERK and Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathways in prostatic morphogenesis have not been examined. In the present study, we used numerical and image analysis to characterize lobe-specific rat prostatic branching during postnatal organ culture and investigated the roles of FGF10-MEK/ERK and Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathways in prostatic morphogenesis. Prostates exhibited distinctive lobe-specific growth and branching patterns in the ventral (VP) and lateral (LP) lobes, while exogenous FGF10 treatment shifted LP branching towards a VP branching pattern. Treatment with inhibitors of MEK1/2, Rho, Rho kinase, or MLCK significantly inhibited VP growth and blocked branching morphogenesis, further supporting critical roles for MEK/ERK and Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathways in prostatic growth and branching during development. We propose that MLCK-regulated MLC-P may be a central downstream target of both signaling pathways in regulating prostate morphogenesis.
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Prins GS. Developmental estrogenization: Prostate gland reprogramming leads to increased disease risk with aging. Differentiation 2021; 118:72-81. [PMID: 33478774 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
While estrogens are involved in normal prostate morphogenesis and function, inappropriate early-life estrogenic exposures, either in type, dose or timing, can reprogram the prostate gland and lead to increased disease risk with aging. This process is referred to as estrogen imprinting or developmental estrogenization of the prostate gland. The present review discusses published and new evidence for prostatic developmental estrogenization that includes extensive research in rodent models combined with epidemiology findings that together have helped to uncover the architectural and molecular underpinnings that promote this phenotype. Complex interactions between steroid receptors, developmental morphoregulatory factors, epigenetic machinery and stem-progenitor cell targets coalesce to hard wire structural, cellular and epigenomic reorganization of the tissue which retains a life-long memory of early-life estrogens, ultimately predisposing the gland to prostatitis, hyperplasia and carcinogenesis with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail S Prins
- Departments of Urology, Physiology and Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 820 S Wood Street, MC955, Chicago, 60612, IL, USA.
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Nakamura N, Davis K, Yan J, Sloper DT, Chen T. Increased estrogen levels altered microRNA expression in prostate and plasma of rats dosed with sex hormones. Andrology 2020; 8:1360-1374. [PMID: 32103627 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated estrogen (E) levels caused by aging or exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals are related to prostate disease development. Sixty to seventy percent of prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia patients are over the age of 65, while prostatitis is likely to occur in men under 45 years. MicroRNAs currently represent a class of distinctive biological indicators to be used for clinical disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring. This study aims to identify microRNAs that could serve as potential biomarkers for prostate disorders induced by elevated E levels according to their altered expression in prostate or plasma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Groups of Sprague Dawley rats (offspring) were dosed with estradiol benzoate (EB) on postnatal days 1, 3, and 5, and subcutaneously implanted with tubes containing testosterone (T)/E on postnatal day 90. Expression levels of prostate and plasma microRNAs were evaluated using microRNA microarray and validated via qRT-PCR. The expression levels of the potential targeted genes of a set of identified microRNAs were also examined by qRT-PCR. RESULTS Postnatal administration of EB, T, and E elevated serum E levels with decreased serum T levels in rats. Chronic inflammation was observed in the dorsolateral prostate. Significant changes in expression levels of several microRNAs (rno-miR-146-5p, rno-miR-329-3p, and rno-miR-126a-3p) in the dorsolateral prostate and of a microRNA (rno-miR-329-3p) in the plasma were found in the dosed rats. The target gene expression levels of the altered microRNAs also changed accordingly. CONCLUSION Chronic inflammation in the dorsolateral prostate of rats dosed with EB, T, and E resulted in deregulated expression in a set of microRNAs whose target genes were related to tumor growth or abnormal proliferation. Our findings suggest the identified microRNAs and their target genes the potential use as biomarkers to predict prostate cancer development. Validation using human samples is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Nakamura
- Division of Systems Biology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, USA
| | - Kelly Davis
- Toxicologic Pathology Associates, Jefferson, AR, USA
| | - Jian Yan
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, USA
| | - Daniel T Sloper
- Division of Systems Biology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, USA
| | - Tao Chen
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, USA
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Souza CS, Paulsen BS, Devalle S, Lima Costa S, Borges HL, Rehen SK. Commitment of human pluripotent stem cells to a neural lineage is induced by the pro-estrogenic flavonoid apigenin. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.3402/arb.v2.29244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Lombardi APG, Royer C, Pisolato R, Cavalcanti FN, Lucas TFG, Lazari MFM, Porto CS. Physiopathological aspects of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the male reproductive system. SPERMATOGENESIS 2014; 3:e23181. [PMID: 23687614 PMCID: PMC3644045 DOI: 10.4161/spmg.23181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway controls several biological processes throughout development and adult life. Dysregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling underlies a wide range of pathologies in animals and humans, including cancer in different tissues. In this review, we provide an update of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the possible roles of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the biology of testis, epididymis and prostate. Data from our laboratory suggest the involvement of 17β-estradiol and estrogen receptors (ERs) on the regulation of β-catenin expression in rat Sertoli cells. We also provide emerging evidences of the involvement of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in testis and prostate cancer. Our understanding of the role of Wnt/β-Catenin signaling in male reproductive tissues is still evolving, and several questions are open to be addressed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paola G Lombardi
- Section of Experimental Endocrinology; Department of Pharmacology; Escola Paulista de Medicina; Universidade Federal de São Paulo; São Paulo, SP Brazil
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8
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Fontanelli BAF, Chuffa LGA, Teixeira GR, Amorim JPA, Mendes LO, Pinheiro PFF, Kurokawa CS, Pereira S, Fávaro WJ, Martins OA, Mello Júnior W, Martinez M, Júnior AR, Martinez FE. Chronic ethanol consumption alters all-trans-retinoic acid concentration and expression of their receptors on the prostate: a possible link between alcoholism and prostate damage. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2012; 37:49-56. [PMID: 22725841 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01866.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2011] [Accepted: 03/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethanol (EtOH) alters the all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) levels in some tissues. Retinol and ATRA are essential for cell proliferation, differentiation, and maintenance of prostate homeostasis. It has been suggested that disturbances in retinol/ATRA concentration as well as in the expression of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) contribute to benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer. This study aimed to evaluate whether EtOH consumption is able to alter retinol and ATRA levels in the plasma and prostate tissue as well as the expression of RARs, cell proliferation, and apoptosis index. METHODS All animals were divided into 4 groups (n = 10/group). UChA: rats fed 10% (v/v) EtOH ad libitum; UChACo: EtOH-naïve rats without access to EtOH; UChB: rats fed 10% (v/v) EtOH ad libitum; UChBCo: EtOH-naïve rats without access to EtOH. Animals were euthanized by decapitation after 60 days of EtOH consumption for high-performance liquid chromatography and light microscopy analysis. RESULTS EtOH reduced plasma retinol concentration in both UChA and UChB groups, while the retinol concentration was not significantly different in prostate tissue. Conversely, plasma and prostate ATRA levels increased in UChB group compared with controls, beyond the up-regulation of RARβ and -γ in dorsal prostate lobe. Additionally, no alteration was found in cell proliferation and apoptosis index involving dorsal and lateral prostate lobe. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that EtOH alters the plasma retinol concentrations proportionally to the amount of EtOH consumed. Moreover, high EtOH consumption increases the concentration of ATRA in plasma/prostate tissue and especially induces the RARβ and RARγ in the dorsal prostate lobe. EtOH consumption and increased ATRA levels were not associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis in the prostate.
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Paulsen BS, Souza CS, Chicaybam L, Bonamino MH, Bahia M, Costa SL, Borges HL, Rehen SK. Agathisflavone Enhances Retinoic Acid-Induced Neurogenesis and Its Receptors α and β in Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells Dev 2011; 20:1711-21. [DOI: 10.1089/scd.2010.0446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bruna S. Paulsen
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Laboratório Nacional de Células-Tronco Embrionárias, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cleide S. Souza
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Laboratório Nacional de Células-Tronco Embrionárias, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Chicaybam
- Divisão de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Marcus Bahia
- Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Recôncavo, Brazil
| | - Silvia Lima Costa
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Helena L. Borges
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Laboratório Nacional de Células-Tronco Embrionárias, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Stevens K. Rehen
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Laboratório Nacional de Células-Tronco Embrionárias, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Huang L, Pu Y, Hu WY, Birch L, Luccio-Camelo D, Yamaguchi T, Prins GS. The role of Wnt5a in prostate gland development. Dev Biol 2009; 328:188-99. [PMID: 19389372 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2008] [Revised: 12/23/2008] [Accepted: 01/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt genes encode a large family of secreted glycoproteins that play important roles in controlling tissue patterning, cell fate and proliferation during development. Currently, little is known regarding the role(s) of Wnt genes during prostate gland development. The present study examines the role of the noncanonical Wnt5a during prostate gland development in rat and murine models. In the rat prostate, Wnt5a mRNA is expressed by distal mesenchyme during the budding stage and localizes to periductal mesenchymal cells with an increasing proximal-to-distal gradient during branching morphogenesis. Wnt5a protein is secreted and localizes to periductal stroma, extracellular matrix and epithelial cells in the distal ducts. While Wnt5a expression is high during active morphogenesis in all prostate lobes, ventral prostate (VP) expression declines rapidly following morphogenesis while dorsal (DP) and lateral lobe (LP) expression remains high into adulthood. Steroids modulate prostatic Wnt5a expression during early development with testosterone suppressing Wnt5a and neonatal estrogen increasing expression. In vivo and ex vivo analyses of developing mouse and rat prostates were used to assess the functional roles of Wnt5a. Wnt5a(-/-) murine prostates rescued by organ culture exhibit disturbances in bud position and directed outgrowth leading to large bulbous sacs in place of elongating ducts. In contrast, epithelial cell proliferation, ductal elongation and branchpoint formation are suppressed in newborn rat prostates cultured with exogenous Wnt5a protein. While renal grafts of Wnt5a(-/-) murine prostates revealed that Wnt5a is not essential for cyto- and functional differentiation, a role in luminal cell polarity and lumenization of the ducts was indicated. Wnt5a suppresses prostatic Shh expression while Shh stimulates Wnt5a expression in a lobe-specific manner during early development indicating that Wnt5a participates in cross-talk with other members of the gene regulatory network that control prostate development. Although Wnt5a does not influence prostatic expression of other Wnt morphogens, it suppresses Wif-1 expression and can thus indirectly modulate Wnt signaling. In summary, the present finds demonstrate that Wnt5a is essential for normal prostate development where it regulates bud outgrowth, ductal elongation, branching, cell polarity and lumenization. These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on regulatory mechanisms involved in prostate gland development which are key to understanding abnormal growth processes associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Huang
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
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11
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Vezina CM, Allgeier SH, Fritz WA, Moore RW, Strerath M, Bushman W, Peterson RE. Retinoic acid induces prostatic bud formation. Dev Dyn 2008; 237:1321-33. [PMID: 18393306 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Formation of prostatic buds from the urogenital sinus (UGS) to initiate prostate development requires localized action of several morphogenetic factors. This report reveals all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) to be a powerful inducer of mouse prostatic budding that is associated with reciprocal changes in expression of two regulators of budding: sonic hedgehog (Shh) and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (Bmp4). Localization of retinoid signaling and expression of RA synthesis, metabolism, and receptor genes in the UGS on embryonic days 14.5-17.5 implicate RA in the mechanism of bud initiation. In UGS organ culture, RA increased prostatic budding, increased Shh expression, and decreased Bmp4. Prostatic budding was stimulated in the absence of RA by recombinant SHH, by blocking BMP4 signaling with NOGGIN, or by combined treatment with SHH and NOGGIN in UGS organ culture media. These observations suggest that reciprocal changes in hedgehog and BMP signaling by RA may regulate bud initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad M Vezina
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA
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12
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Novák J, Benísek M, Hilscherová K. Disruption of retinoid transport, metabolism and signaling by environmental pollutants. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2008; 34:898-913. [PMID: 18282601 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2007.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2007] [Revised: 12/11/2007] [Accepted: 12/28/2007] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Although the assessment of circulatory levels of retinoids has become a widely used biomarker of exposure to environmental pollutants, the adverse effects caused by imbalance of the retinoid metabolism and signaling in wildlife are not known in detail. Retinoids play an important role in controlling such vital processes as morphogenesis, development, reproduction or apoptosis. Unlike other signaling molecules, retinoids are not strictly endogenous but they are derived from dietary sources of vitamin A or its precursors and thus they are sometimes referred to as 'dietary' hormones. Some environmental pollutants that affect embryogenesis, immunity or epithelial functions were also shown to interfere with retinoid metabolism and signaling in animals. This suggests that at least some of their toxic effects may be related to interaction with the retinoid metabolism, transport or signal transduction. This review summarizes in vivo and in vitro studies on interaction of environmental complex samples, pesticides, polychlorinated dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic compounds and other organic pollutants with physiology of retinoids. It sums up contemporary knowledge about levels of interaction and mechanisms of action of the environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jirí Novák
- Research Centre for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 3, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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Abstract
Prostate gland development is a complex process that involves coordination of multiple signaling pathways including endocrine, paracrine, autocrine, juxtacrine and transcription factors. To put this into proper context, the present manuscript will begin with a brief overview of the stages of prostate development and a summary of androgenic signaling in the developing prostate, which is essential for prostate formation. This will be followed by a detailed description of other transcription factors and secreted morphogens directly involved in prostate formation and branching morphogenesis. Except where otherwise indicated, results from rodent models will be presented since studies that examine molecular signaling in the developing human prostate gland are sparse at the present time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail S Prins
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL 606012, USA.
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McPherson SJ, Ellem SJ, Risbridger GP. Estrogen-regulated development and differentiation of the prostate. Differentiation 2008; 76:660-70. [PMID: 18557760 DOI: 10.1111/j.1432-0436.2008.00291.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Both androgens and estrogens play a significant role in the prostate and are critical for normal prostate growth and development, as well as the maintenance of adult prostatic homeostasis throughout life. It is the balance of these two hormones, rather than each individually, that is important for prostatic development and differentiation. Estrogen action is mediated by the estrogen receptors, ERalpha and ERbeta. ERalpha is expressed throughout the prostatic tissue during fetal and early neonatal life, and if activated inappropriately, produces late-life disease, including inflammation and emergence of pre-malignant pathologies. In contrast, ERbeta expression is initiated after ERalpha, is localized primarily to the epithelium, and appears to be important during later periods of development such as puberty and adulthood, acting to regulate cellular proliferation and differentiation in the adult tissue. Therefore, there is also a spatial and temporal balance between ERalpha and ERbeta that is critical for development. Together with the shifting balance between androgens and estrogens themselves, the subtle, yet critical, balance between the activity of ERalpha and ERbeta is what ultimately determines the response of the prostate to estrogen, and is crucial for prostate health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J McPherson
- Centre for Urological Research, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University 27-31 Wright Street Clayton, Vic., Australia.
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Aoki K, Nakajima M, Hoshi Y, Saso N, Kato S, Sugiyama Y, Sato H. Effect of Aminoguanidine on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Changes in Rat Liver Transporters and Transcription Factors. Biol Pharm Bull 2008; 31:412-20. [DOI: 10.1248/bpb.31.412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kimiko Aoki
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Showa University
| | | | | | - Naomi Saso
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Showa University
| | - Satoko Kato
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Showa University
| | - Yuichi Sugiyama
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo
| | - Hitoshi Sato
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Showa University
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16
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Prins GS, Birch L, Tang WY, Ho SM. Developmental estrogen exposures predispose to prostate carcinogenesis with aging. Reprod Toxicol 2007; 23:374-82. [PMID: 17123779 PMCID: PMC1927084 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2006.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2006] [Revised: 10/07/2006] [Accepted: 10/10/2006] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Prostate morphogenesis occurs in utero in humans and during the perinatal period in rodents. While largely driven by androgens, there is compelling evidence for a permanent influence of estrogens on prostatic development. If estrogenic exposures are abnormally high during the critical developmental period, permanent alterations in prostate morphology and function are observed, a process referred to as developmental estrogenization. Using the neonatal rodent as an animal model, it has been shown that early exposure to high doses of estradiol results in an increased incidence of prostatic lesions with aging which include hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia or PIN, believed to be the precursor lesion for prostatic adenocarcinoma. The present review summarizes research performed in our laboratory to characterize developmental estrogenization and identify the molecular pathways involved in mediating this response. Furthermore, recent studies performed with low-dose estradiol exposures during development as well as exposures to environmentally relevant doses of the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A show increased susceptibility to PIN lesions with aging following additional adult exposure to estradiol. Gene methylation analysis revealed a potential epigenetic basis for the estrogen imprinting of the prostate gland. Taken together, our results suggest that a full range of estrogenic exposures during the postnatal critical period - from environmentally relevant bisphenol A exposure to low-dose and pharmacologic estradiol exposures - results in an increased incidence and susceptibility to neoplastic transformation of the prostate gland in the aging male which may provide a fetal basis for this adult disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail S Prins
- Department of Urology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 820 South Wood Street, MC 955, Chicago, IL 60612, United States.
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17
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Prins GS, Huang L, Birch L, Pu Y. The role of estrogens in normal and abnormal development of the prostate gland. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2007; 1089:1-13. [PMID: 17261752 PMCID: PMC2276871 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1386.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Estrogens play a physiologic role during prostate development with regard to programming stromal cells and directing early morphogenic events. However, if estrogenic exposures are abnormally high during the critical developmental period, permanent alterations in prostate branching morphogenesis and cellular differentiation will result, a process referred to as neonatal imprinting or developmental estrogenization. These perturbations are associated with an increased incidence of prostatic lesions with aging, which include hyperplasia, inflammation, and dysplasia. To understand how early estrogenic exposures can permanently alter the prostate and predispose it to neoplasia, we examined the effects of estrogens on prostatic steroid receptors and key developmental genes. Transient and permanent alterations in prostatic AR, ERalpha, ERbeta, and RARs are observed. We propose that estrogen-induced alterations in these critical transcription factors play a fundamental role in initiating prostatic growth and differentiation defects by shifting the prostate from an androgen-dominated gland to one whose development is regulated by estrogens and retinoids. This in turn leads to specific disruptions in the expression patterns of key prostatic developmental genes that normally dictate morphogenesis and differentiation. Specifically, we find transient reductions in Nkx3.1 and permanent reductions in Hoxb-13, which lead to differentiation defects particularly within the ventral lobe. Prolonged developmental expression of Bmp-4 contributes to hypomorphic growth throughout the prostatic complex. Reduced expression of Fgf10 and Shh and their cognate receptors in the dorsolateral lobes leads to branching defects in those specific regions in response to neonatal estrogens. We hypothesize that these molecular changes initiated early in life predispose the prostate to the neoplastic state upon aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail S Prins
- Department of Urology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 820 South Wood, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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18
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Abstract
Cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell motility are induced and regulated by a host of growth factors, vitamins, and hormones. The mode of function of these modifiers of biological response, the signaling pathways that they activate, and the interacting pathways that can influence the biological outcome have been the focus of attention. Especially recognized and discussed in this review is the deregulation of their function, leading to abnormalities in cell proliferation, alteration of intercellular adhesive cohesion, remodeling of the extracellular matrix, and invasive behavior and metastatic deposition that are so characteristic of tumor development and progression, which strongly underscores the concept of molecular progression of cancer constructed on the basis of the relationship between genetic changes and the biological events associated with cancer progression. The molecular changes associated with hormone- and vitamin-driven responses and the deregulation of the expression and function of their target genes seem to correlate with specific biological events linked with cancer invasion and progression, and these findings could lead to the establishment of new markers of progression and to the development of new strategies for patient management. The scope of this work has been restricted by design and is dictated by the field of interest of the author's laboratory, but it is hoped that this field would be regarded adequately to reflect the wide genre of scientific interest in this field of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- G V Sherbet
- School of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 6RU, United Kingdom
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19
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Haqq C, Li R, Khodabakhsh D, Frolov A, Ginzinger D, Thompson T, Wheeler T, Carroll P, Ayala G. Ethnic and racial differences in prostate stromal estrogen receptor alpha. Prostate 2005; 65:101-9. [PMID: 15880569 DOI: 10.1002/pros.20272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates vary widely among individuals of different ethnic/racial groups. We identified a relationship between a subset of genes and race/ethnicity using gene expression profiling. Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) was selected for confirmation due to its plausible biological role in cancer susceptibility. METHODS Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) was used to verify gene expression results. Protein levels of ERalpha were determined by quantitative immunohistochemistry in a large-scale tissue microarray study (n = 183). RESULTS ERalpha was significantly higher in stroma of Hispanic and Asian men than in Caucasian (P < 0.0001) and African American men (P < 0.0002), who are at higher risk for prostate cancer. In addition, large differences were seen in Q-PCR levels of ERalpha in prostate tissues of organ donors 16-29 years old who had no evidence of cancer. CONCLUSIONS ERalpha exhibits variable expression in men of difference racial/ethnic background. Understanding the molecular basis for these differences may form the basis for prostate cancer prevention strategies with widespread public health impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Haqq
- Department of Medicine, Program in Urologic Oncology, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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20
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Huang L, Pu Y, Alam S, Birch L, Prins GS. The role of Fgf10 signaling in branching morphogenesis and gene expression of the rat prostate gland: lobe-specific suppression by neonatal estrogens. Dev Biol 2005; 278:396-414. [PMID: 15680359 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2004] [Revised: 11/10/2004] [Accepted: 11/12/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Brief exposure of rats to high-dose estrogen during the neonatal period interrupts prostate development in a lobe-specific manner and predisposes the gland to dysplasia with aging, a phenomenon referred to as developmental estrogenization. Our previous studies have revealed that these effects are initiated through altered steroid receptor expression; however, the immediate downstream targets remain unclear. We have recently shown that developmental expression of Shh-ptc-gli is downregulated in the dorsolateral prostate following estrogenization, and this is responsible, in part, for branching deficits observed in that prostatic region specifically. In the present study, we examine the role of Fgf10 signaling during rat prostate development and as a mediator of the developmental estrogenized phenotype. Fgf10 and FgfR2iiib localize to the distal signaling center of elongating and branching ducts in separate prostate lobes where they regulate the expression of multiple morphoregulatory genes including Shh, ptc, Bmp7, Bmp4, Hoxb13, and Nkx3.1. Ventral and lateral lobe organ cultures and mesenchyme-free ductal cultures demonstrate a direct role for Fgf10/FgfR2iiib in ductal elongation, branching, epithelial proliferation, and differentiation. Based on these findings, a model is proposed depicting the localized expression and feedback loops between several morphoregulatory factors in the developing prostate that contribute to tightly regulated branching morphogenesis. Similar to Shh-ptc-gli, neonatal estrogen exposure downregulates Fgf10, FgfR2iiib, and Bmp7 expression in the dorsolateral prostate while ventral lobe expression of these genes is unaffected. Lateral prostate organ culture experiments demonstrate that growth and branching inhibition as well as Fgf10/FgfR2iiib suppression are mediated directly at the prostatic level. Furthermore, exogenous Fgf10 fully rescues the growth and branching deficits due to estrogen exposure. Together, these studies demonstrate that alterations in Fgf10 signaling are a proximate cause of Shh-ptc-gli and Bmp7 downregulation that together result in branching inhibition of the dorsolateral prostate following neonatal estrogen exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Huang
- Department of Urology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 820 Wood Street, M/C 955 Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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21
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Kim YH, Arnold AP. Distribution and onset of retinaldehyde dehydrogenase (zRalDH) expression in zebra finch brain: Lack of sex difference in HVC and RA at early posthatch ages. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005; 65:260-8. [DOI: 10.1002/neu.20192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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22
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Huang L, Pu Y, Alam S, Birch L, Prins GS. Estrogenic regulation of signaling pathways and homeobox genes during rat prostate development. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004; 25:330-7. [PMID: 15064308 DOI: 10.1002/j.1939-4640.2004.tb02796.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Huang
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
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23
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Pu Y, Huang L, Prins GS. Sonic hedgehog-patched Gli signaling in the developing rat prostate gland: lobe-specific suppression by neonatal estrogens reduces ductal growth and branching. Dev Biol 2004; 273:257-75. [PMID: 15328011 PMCID: PMC2978068 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2004] [Revised: 06/11/2004] [Accepted: 06/11/2004] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
While prostate gland development is dependent on androgens, other hormones including retinoids and estrogens can influence this process. Brief exposure to high-dose estrogen during the neonatal period in rats leads to permanent, lobe-specific aberrations in the prostate gland, a phenomenon referred to as developmental estrogenization. We have previously shown that this response is mediated through alterations in steroid receptor expression; however, further downstream mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we examined Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-patched (ptc)-gli in the developing rat prostate gland, its role in branching morphogenesis, and the effects of neonatal estrogens on its expression and localization to determine whether a disturbance in this signaling pathway is involved in mediating the estrogenized phenotype. Shh was expressed in epithelial cells at the distal tips of elongating ducts in discreet, heterogeneous foci, while ptc and gli1-3 were expressed in the adjacent mesenchymal cells in the developing gland. The addition of Shh protein to cultured neonatal prostates reduced ductal growth and branching, decreased Fgf10 transcript, and increased Bmp4 expression in the adjacent mesenchyme. Shh-induced growth suppression was reversed by exogenous Fgf10, but not noggin, indicating that Fgf10 suppression is the proximate cause of the growth inhibition. A model is proposed to show how highly localized Shh expression along with regulation of downstream morphogens participates in dichotomous branching during prostate morphogenesis. Neonatal exposure to high-dose estradiol suppressed Shh, ptc, gli1, and gli3 expressions and concomitantly blocked ductal branching in the dorsal and lateral prostate lobes specifically. In contrast, ventral lobe branching and Shh-ptc-gli expression were minimally affected by estrogen exposure. Organ culture studies with lateral prostates confirmed that estradiol suppressed Shh-ptc-gli expression directly at the prostatic level. Taken together, the present findings indicate that lobe-specific decreases in Shh-ptc-gli expression are involved in mediating estradiol-induced suppression of dorsal and lateral lobe ductal growth and branching during prostate morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gail S. Prins
- Corresponding author. Department of Urology, University of Illinois at Chicago, M/C 955, 820 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612. Fax: +1-312-996-1291. (G.S. Prins)
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Wilson MJ, Woodson M, Wiehr C, Reddy A, Sinha AA. Matrix metalloproteinases in the pathogenesis of estradiol-induced nonbacterial prostatitis in the lateral prostate lobe of the Wistar rat. Exp Mol Pathol 2004; 77:7-17. [PMID: 15215045 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2004.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2004] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis develops spontaneously with age in the lateral lobe of the prostate in some strains of rat. Our objective was to examine the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) in the pathogenesis of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis using a chronic estrogen treatment, Wistar rat model (Prostate 12 (1988) 271). Male Wistar rats, 90 days of age (8 rats/group), were castrated and groups were implanted 8 days later with 1 cm silastic tubings containing estradiol 17 beta (E2). Some animals received 5-cm silastic tubings of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or testosterone (T) on day 22 and all untreated control and experimental animals were sacrificed on day 36 of the protocol. MMP activities were determined by SDS-gelatin-, casein-, and carboxymethyl transferrin-polyacrylamide gel zymography. A light/mild interstitial monocytic infiltration was found in the ventral lobes, but not other lobes, of half of the untreated control rats. This ventral lobe interstitial inflammation was not affected by E2 treatment. A prominent to heavy inflammation, including both intraluminal neutrophil and interstitial monocytic infiltrates, was produced by E2 treatment at a 100% incidence in the lateral lobes. Prominent MMP activities were detected in the lateral lobes of E2-treated rats, including both the active (55 and 81 kDa) and proenzyme (72 and 92 kDa) forms of MMP-2 and MMP-9, respectively. These activities were strongly attenuated by treatment of E2-implanted animals with T, which also reduced inflammation; but they were only weakly affected by DHT given with E2, which did not reduce inflammation. Similarly, DHT treatment of E2-implanted castrated rats restored the wet weight of the lateral lobe, but it did not fully restore secretion volume production, whereas T treatment of estrogenized rats increased lateral lobe wet weight and secretion volume above that of untreated controls. E2 treatment also induced an activity in casein gels of about 27 kDa with properties of MMP-7; that is, molecular mass, inhibition by EDTA, stimulation by heparin sulfate in casein and carboxymethylated transferrin gels. A high molecular weight nonmetalloproteinase activity (>160 kDa) was detected in gelatin gels in the lateral prostate lobe of both treated and untreated control animals. In comparison to the lateral lobe, E2 treatment produced only minimal effects on MMP activities in the ventral and dorsal prostatic lobes. Thus, elevated MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 activities in lateral lobe prostatitis correlate with leukocyte infiltration in the inflammatory response. These proteinases may help mediate the accompanying epithelial atrophy and tissue damage in this organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Wilson
- Research Service, VA Medical Center, and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA.
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25
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Woodham C, Birch L, Prins GS. Neonatal estrogen down-regulates prostatic androgen receptor through a proteosome-mediated protein degradation pathway. Endocrinology 2003; 144:4841-50. [PMID: 12960060 DOI: 10.1210/en.2003-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Brief exposure of male rats to estrogens during the neonatal period interrupts normal prostate development, alters epithelial cell differentiation, and predisposes this gland to hyperplasia and severe dysplasia analogous to prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) with aging. Previous work demonstrated that the reduced growth, secretory activity, and androgen sensitivity that are observed in the adult ventral lobe are a function of reduced androgen receptor (AR) levels. Down-regulation of AR protein was found to occur immediately following neonatal exposure to estradiol benzoate (EB) and persist through adulthood and aging, indicating a permanent imprint on the ability of the prostate to express normal AR levels. To determine the intracellular mechanism of AR down-regulation by estrogens, the present study examined the effect of neonatal EB on AR gene transcription, mRNA levels, protein translation, and protein degradation in the d 10 ventral prostate glands. Nuclear run-on assays showed no alteration in AR gene transcription following exposure to EB on d 1-5 compared with controls. In situ hybridization and quantitative (q) RT-PCR revealed no difference in mRNA levels in the stromal or epithelial cells in response to estrogen exposure which, taken together, indicate that estrogen down-regulation of AR is mediated at the posttranscriptional level. AR translation was assessed with an in vitro transcription-translation assay in the presence of prostatic lysates from oil and estrogen-exposed animals, and no treatment effect was noted. AR degradation was examined in an in vitro assay validated with adult intact and castrate prostates. Prostatic lysates from intact rats initiated AR degradation with a t1/2 of 2.31 h, whereas proteins from castrate rats accelerated AR degradation to a t1/2 of 1.34 h (P < 0.001). Prostatic lysates from control d 10 prostates induced AR degradation with a t1/2 of 1.49 h, whereas estrogenized prostates increased AR degradation to a t1/2 of 1.11 h (P < 0.001). Proteosome inhibitors MG132 and ALLnL were able to reverse AR degradation induced by prostatic lysates from adult intact and castrate rats as well as from developing and estrogenized prostates, indicating that AR degradation was mediated through the proteosome pathway. Furthermore, the proteosome-mediated AR degradation in the estrogenized d 10 prostate was associated with a marked suppression of Akt phosphorylation that has been linked to AR degradation in other systems. Taken together, the present data show that exposure to neonatal estrogens down-regulates AR protein levels in the ventral prostate gland by accelerating AR degradation, which is mediated through the proteosome pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Woodham
- Department of Urology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
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