scholarly journals Analysis of growth factor and receptor mRNA levels during development of the rat seminal vesicle and prostate

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (12) ◽  
pp. 2431-2439 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.A. Thomson ◽  
B.A. Foster ◽  
G.R. Cunha

Development of the mammalian male accessory sexual organs requires both androgens and mesenchymal/epithelial interactions. Paracrine acting factors whose expression is mesenchymal and androgen dependent have been proposed to regulate development of these organs, although the identity of these paracrine mediators is unknown. Keratinocyte growth factor (Kgf) has been shown to play an important role in the development of the mouse seminal vesicle and rat ventral prostate. Also, Kgf is expressed in mesenchymal cells and has been shown to be regulated by androgens in prostatic cells grown in vitro. Thus Kgf has been proposed as a mediator of androgen action. We have investigated the expression of Kgf mRNA during development of the rat seminal vesicle and prostate, both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally we have examined mRNAs for Kgf receptor (KgfR), transforming growth factor alpha (Tgf alpha), epidermal growth factor receptor (EgfR) and cytokeratin 19 (CK19). The levels of growth factor and receptor mRNAs fluctuated during androgen-regulated development; however, these changes reflected variations in the mesenchymal/epithelial ratio rather than regulation by testosterone. Expression of Kgf is mesenchymal, while KgfR is epithelial and Tgf alpha is predominantly epithelial. The changes in the levels of mRNAs for these factors correlated well with changes in the level of an epithelial marker, CK19, suggesting they were due to alterations in the relative abundance of tissue compartments in which they were expressed. Kgf has been shown to mimic androgen action in explant cultures of seminal vesicle and prostate. We demonstrate here that anti-androgens are able to block Kgf stimulated development, suggesting that Kgf and androgen receptor signalling pathways may interact. Taken together our data suggest that, in vivo, Kgf may interact with androgen receptor signalling but it is not a direct target of androgen action.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhengfang Liu ◽  
Cheng Liu ◽  
Keqiang Yan ◽  
Jikai Liu ◽  
Zhiqing Fang ◽  
...  

The androgen receptor (AR) plays a pivotal role in prostatic carcinogenesis, and it also affects the transition from hormone sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Particularly, the persistent activation of the androgen receptor and the appearance of androgen receptor splicing variant 7 (AR-V7), could partly explain the failure of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). In the present study, we reported that huaier extract, derived from officinal fungi, has potent antiproliferative effects in both HSPC and CRPC cells. Mechanistically, huaier extract downregulated both full length AR (AR-FL) and AR-V7 mRNA levels via targeting the SET and MYND domain-containing protein 3 (SMYD3) signaling pathway. Huaier extract also enhanced proteasome-mediated protein degradation of AR-FL and AR-V7 by downregulating proteasome-associated deubiquitinase ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14). Furthermore, huaier extract inhibited AR-FL/AR-V7 transcriptional activity and their nuclear translocation. More importantly, our data demonstrated that huaier extract could re-sensitize enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells to enzalutamide treatment in vitro and in vivo models. Our work revealed that huaier extract could be effective for treatment of prostate cancer either as monotherapy or in combination with enzalutamide.


2001 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Marcantonio ◽  
LE Chalifour ◽  
MA Alaoui-Jamali And H T Huynh ◽  
MA Alaoui-Jamali ◽  
MA Alaoui-Jamali ◽  
...  

Steroid-sensitive gene-1 (SSG1) is a novel gene we cloned, found regulated by 17beta-estradiol in the rat uterus and mammary gland, and over-expressed in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary tumors. We show here that SSG1 mRNA and protein expression are regulated by androgens in the rat ventral prostate. Increases in SSG1 mRNA levels were detected by Northern blotting after 24 h and reached a 27-fold peak 96 h following castration, relative to SSG1 mRNA expression in sham-operated rats. Dihydrotestosterone or testosterone supplementation of castrated rats prevented this rise in SSG1 mRNA. In contrast with SSG1 mRNA expression, SSG1 protein was decreased 16-fold 2 weeks following castration but was at control levels in the prostates of castrated rats receiving dihydrotestosterone or testosterone. Although SSG1 is regulated by androgens in vivo, treatment of LnCap cells with dihydrotestosterone, cyproterone acetate or flutamide did not result in the regulation of SSG1 protein levels in vitro. Immunofluorescence studies show that SSG1 is mainly expressed in prostatic smooth muscle cells. These results indicate that SSG1 is an androgen-regulated gene that is expressed in the smooth muscle component of the rat ventral prostate in vivo.


1998 ◽  
Vol 158 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Sohoni ◽  
JP Sumpter

There is presently considerable interest in endocrine disruption which is a new area of endocrinology concerned with chemicals that mimic hormones, in particular sex steroids. It has been hypothesised that exposure to such chemicals may be responsible for adverse effects in both humans and wildlife. Until now, chemicals that mimic oestrogens (so-called xenoestrogens) have been the main focus of endocrine disruption research. However, recent evidence suggests that many abnormalities in the male reproductive system may be mediated via the androgen receptor. By blocking androgen action, exposure to an anti-androgen may cause changes similar to those associated with oestrogen exposure. We have used in vitro yeast-based assays to detect oestrogenic, anti-oestrogenic, androgenic and anti-androgenic activities in a variety of chemicals of current interest. We show that many of the so-called 'environmental oestrogens' also possess anti-androgenic activity. The previously reported anti-androgenic activities of vinclozolin and p,p'-1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (DDE) were confirmed. We also found that o,p'-1,1,1,-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT), bisphenol A and butyl benzyl phthalate were anti-androgenic. However, not all xenoestrogens are also anti-androgenic, because nonylphenol was found to be a weak androgen agonist. Our results demonstrate that hormone-mimicking chemicals can have multiple hormonal activities, which may make it difficult to interpret their mechanisms of action in vivo. Although not a specific objective of this study, our results also demonstrate that yeast-based assays are powerful tools with which to investigate both agonist and antagonistic hormonal activities of chemicals.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3588-3597
Author(s):  
L Scotto ◽  
R K Assoian

Chimeric plasmids containing selected reporter coding domains and portions of the transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) 3' untranslated region (UTR) were prepared and used to identify potential mechanisms involved in regulating the biosynthesis of TGF-beta 1. Transient transfections with core and chimeric constructs containing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter showed that steady-state CAT mRNA levels were decreased two- to threefold in response to the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR. Interestingly, CAT activity was somewhat increased in the same transfectants. Thus, production of CAT protein per unit of mRNA was stimulated by the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR (approximately fourfold in three cell lines of distinct lineage). The translation-stimulatory effect of the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR suggested by these studies in vivo was confirmed in vitro by cell-free translation of core and chimeric transcripts containing the growth hormone coding domain. These studies showed that production of growth hormone was stimulated threefold by the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR. A deletion analysis in vivo indicated that the GC-rich domain in the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR was responsible for both the decrease in mRNA levels and stimulation of CAT activity-mRNA. We conclude that this GC-rich domain can have a bifunctional effect on overall protein expression. Moreover, the notable absence of this GC-rich domain in TGF-beta 2, TGF-beta 3, TGF-beta 4, and TGF-beta 5 indicates that expression of distinct TGF-beta family members can be differentially controlled in cells.


Cardiology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Yu ◽  
Jie Ma ◽  
Yingbin Xiao ◽  
Qingjun Yang ◽  
Huali Kang ◽  
...  

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of Krüppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) in cardiac remodeling and interstitial fibrosis. Methods: A rat model was established by in vivo aortic coarctation followed by a period of pressure unloading and used to measure heart function, myocardial pathological changes, and KLF15, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) expression levels. In addition, cardiac fibroblasts were cultured in vitro and treated with KLF15-shRNA or KLF15 recombinant adenovirus to establish a TGF-β-mediated cardiac fibroblast hypertrophy model and analyze cell morphology, collagen secretion, and changes in the expression levels of 4 cytokines. Results: In vivo pressure overload impaired cardiac function and resulted in myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. These changes were accompanied by the downregulation of KLF15 mRNA levels and increased expression of the other factors. The response to unloading was the opposite. In in vitro cell experiments, by specifically targeting the KLF15 gene, changes in the expression levels of the 4 cytokines and the amounts of collagen I and III were observed. Conclusions: In myocardial remodeling processes induced by mechanical or metabolic factors, KLF15 regulates TGF-β, CTGF, and MRTF-A expression and can ameliorate or even reverse myocardial fibrosis and improve cardiac function.


Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (16) ◽  
pp. 3693-3701
Author(s):  
A.A. Thomson ◽  
G.R. Cunha

We have examined the role of Fibroblast Growth Factor 10 (FGF10) during the growth and development of the rat ventral prostate (VP) and seminal vesicle (SV). FGF10 transcripts were abundant at the earliest stages of organ formation and during neonatal organ growth, but were low or absent in growth-quiescent adult organs. In both the VP and SV, FGF10 transcripts were expressed only in a subset of mesenchymal cells and in a pattern consistent with a role as a paracrine epithelial regulator. In the neonatal VP, FGF10 mRNA was expressed initially in mesenchymal cells peripheral to the peri-urethral mesenchyme and distal to the elongating prostatic epithelial buds. At later stages, mesenchymal cells surrounding the epithelial buds also expressed FGF10 transcripts. During induction of the SV, FGF10 mRNA was present in mesenchyme surrounding the lower Wolffian ducts and, at later stages, FGF10 transcripts became restricted to mesenchymal cells subadjacent to the serosa. We investigated whether the FGF10 gene might be regulated by androgens by analysing the levels of FGF10 transcripts in SV and VP organs grown in serum-free organ culture. While FGF10 transcript levels increased after treatment with testosterone in the SV (but not VP), these changes were not sensitive to anti-androgen treatment, and thus it is likely that FGF10 mRNA was not directly regulated by testosterone. Also, FGF10 mRNA was observed in the embryonic female reproductive tract in a position analogous to that of the ventral prostate in males suggesting that FGF10 is not regulated by androgens in vivo. Recombinant FGF10 protein specifically stimulated growth of Dunning epithelial and BPH1 prostatic epithelial cell lines, but had no effect on growth of Dunning stromal cells or primary SV mesenchyme. Furthermore, FGF10 protein stimulated the development of ventral prostate and seminal vesicle organ rudiments in serum-free organ culture. When both FGF10 and testosterone were added to organs in vitro, there was no synergistic induction of development. Additionally, development induced by FGF10 was not inhibited by the addition of the anti-androgen Cyproterone Acetate demonstrating that the effects of FGF10 were not mediated by the androgen receptor. Taken together, our experiments suggest that FGF10 functions as a mesenchymal paracrine regulator of epithelial growth in the prostate and seminal vesicle and that the FGF10 gene is not regulated by androgens


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3588-3597 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Scotto ◽  
R K Assoian

Chimeric plasmids containing selected reporter coding domains and portions of the transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) 3' untranslated region (UTR) were prepared and used to identify potential mechanisms involved in regulating the biosynthesis of TGF-beta 1. Transient transfections with core and chimeric constructs containing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter showed that steady-state CAT mRNA levels were decreased two- to threefold in response to the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR. Interestingly, CAT activity was somewhat increased in the same transfectants. Thus, production of CAT protein per unit of mRNA was stimulated by the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR (approximately fourfold in three cell lines of distinct lineage). The translation-stimulatory effect of the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR suggested by these studies in vivo was confirmed in vitro by cell-free translation of core and chimeric transcripts containing the growth hormone coding domain. These studies showed that production of growth hormone was stimulated threefold by the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR. A deletion analysis in vivo indicated that the GC-rich domain in the TGF-beta 1 3' UTR was responsible for both the decrease in mRNA levels and stimulation of CAT activity-mRNA. We conclude that this GC-rich domain can have a bifunctional effect on overall protein expression. Moreover, the notable absence of this GC-rich domain in TGF-beta 2, TGF-beta 3, TGF-beta 4, and TGF-beta 5 indicates that expression of distinct TGF-beta family members can be differentially controlled in cells.


2006 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 4050-4056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Ishimoto ◽  
Marcus O. Muench ◽  
Takayuki Higuchi ◽  
Kazuhiro Minegishi ◽  
Mamoru Tanaka ◽  
...  

Abstract Context: In the human fetal adrenal gland (HFA), the inner fetal zone (FZ) secretes dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. The function of the outer definitive zone (DZ) is less clear; however, the DZ phenotype is that of a reservoir of progenitor cells, many of which are mitotically active. Midkine (MK) is a heparin-binding growth factor with various bioactivities. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate expression, proliferative effects, and ACTH regulation of MK in the HFA. Design and Setting: RNA, cryosections, and primary cell cultures from HFAs (14–24 wk) and adult adrenal RNA were used. Main Outcome Measures: The main outcome measures were MK mRNA levels (measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR); MK localization (measured by immunostaining); MK proliferative effects and mechanism (measured by proliferation assays, flow cytometry, pharmacological interventions); and ACTH regulation (measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR). Results: HFA MK mRNA levels were 4-fold higher than in adult adrenals (P < 0.05) and were comparable to levels in fetal and adult brains (positive controls). MK immunoreactivity was abundant throughout the HFA. Exogenous MK caused proliferation of isolated DZ cells but not FZ cells (72 h, P < 0.05). In contrast, basic fibroblast growth factor induced proliferation of cells from both zones. Pharmacological interventions indicated that MK-induced DZ cell proliferation may be mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, MAPK kinase, and Src family kinases. ACTH (1 nm) increased MK mRNA by 3.5-fold (48 h, P < 0.01) in isolated FZ cells. Conclusions: MK likely plays a key role in HFA development. MK’s selective in vitro mitotic effects on DZ cells may provide insights into the mechanism underlying the distinct in vivo differences in mitotic activity between the DZ and FZ.


1998 ◽  
Vol 156 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
JA Nemeth ◽  
DJ Zelner ◽  
S Lang ◽  
C Lee

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF/FGF-7) is a stromally derived factor which exerts proliferative and differentiating effects on a variety of epithelial cells. Results of recent studies utilizing in vitro methods such as tissue culture and organ culture have suggested that KGF may act as a paracrine mediator of androgen-induced growth and development of the prostate and seminal vesicle. We undertook the present study to determine the distribution of KGF in relation to the functional regions of the rat prostatic ductal system, and whether KGF expression is influenced by androgen in vivo. Immunohistochemical staining revealed KGF to be present in the stroma throughout the prostate, regardless of the functional region, and staining for KGF remained high through 21 days post-castration. Message for KGF could also be detected by reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis of prostate stromal cells isolated from 4- and 21-day castrated animals, and no gross change in message level was observed following castration. Furthermore, no significant change in either stromal staining or message for KGF was observed in newborn rat prostates 10 days after castration, suggesting a similar regulatory mechanism for KGF in the adult and immature prostate. Epithelial staining for KGF decreased following castration, and greatly increased upon androgen replacement, possibly indicating a change in KGF internalization. These observations suggest that the presence of KGF protein is not related to functional differences in the prostate epithelium, and that expression of KGF in vivo is not greatly influenced by androgen.


Biomolecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangying Kou ◽  
Yeying Sun ◽  
Shenjun Li ◽  
Weihua Bian ◽  
Zhihao Liu ◽  
...  

Background: Disease-related injury in any organ triggers a complex cascade of cellular and molecular responses that culminate in tissue fibrosis, inflammation, and angiogenesis simultaneously. Multiple cell angiogenesis is an essential part of the tissue damage response, which is involved in fibrosis development. RC28-E is a novel recombinant dual decoy receptor lgG1 Fc-fusion protein that can block vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) simultaneously. This protein has stepped into clinical trials (NCT03777254) for the treatment of pathological neovascularization-related diseases. Here, we report on the role of RC28-E during anti-fibrosis and its potential multitarget function in regulating fibrosis. Methods: A bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis C57BL/6 mouse model was established. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE) and Masson staining (Masson’s) were performed to evaluate the pulmonary fibrosis based on the scoring from, Ashcroft score. Fibrosis related factors and inflammatory cytokines including HYP, α-SMA, procollagen, ICAM, IL-6, IL-1, and TNF-α were also determined at the protein and mRNA levels to characterize the fibrosis. Both mRNA and protein levels of VEGF, FGF, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis, respectively. Pulmonary fibrosis and related cytokines were re-evaluated in vivo after 3 doses of RC28-E (5 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg, and 50 mg/kg, ip. Tiw × 9) in comparison with a mono-target antagonist treatment (VEGF or FGF blocking). RC28-E attenuated the activation of TGF-β induced fibroblasts in vitro. Expression levels of α-SMA and collagen I, as well as proliferation and migration, were determined with the human skin fibroblast cell line Detroit 551 and primary murine pulmonary fibroblast cells. The mechanism of RC28-E via the TGF-β/Smad pathway was also investigated. Results: RC28-E exhibits significant anti-fibrosis effects on Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in vivo. Moreover, TGF-β induced fibroblast activation in vitro via the inhibition of the TGF-β downstream Smad pathway, thus providing potential therapeutics for clinical disease-related fibrosis-like IPF as well as chemotherapy-induced fibrosis in cancer therapy.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document