title: The role of vitamin D in normal prostate growth and differentiation.
abstract: Although increasing data indicate a role for vitamin D in prostate cancer, little is known about the role of this hormone in the noncancerous prostate. We examined the effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25 D) on the growth of noncancerous rat prostates in vivo. Rats were castrated and treated with vehicle (controls), 1,25 D, testosterone, or a combination of both hormones for 2 weeks. Histological examination of the harvested prostates revealed that 1,25 D had a selective regressive effect on epithelial cells in treated rats compared to untreated castrated rats and to normal uncastrated rats. However, 1,25 D stimulated stromal growth in the prostate. The mean prostatic weight of the vitamin D-treated rats was twice that of the untreated rats (0.13 +/- SEM 0.005 g versus 0.06 +/- SEM 0.006 g). The histological differences were less marked in the testosterone-supplemented animals. A greater degree of cellular differentiation was observed in the rats treated with testosterone and vitamin D compared to rats that received testosterone supplementation alone. Studies of the nuclear matrix composition revealed differences between the testosterone-supplemented and the testosterone and 1,25 D-treated rat prostates. We conclude that in the absence of testosterone, 1,25 D may exert a growth-promoting effect on the prostatic stroma in vivo. In concert with testosterone, it may play an important role in the growth and differentiation of the normal rat prostate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213-2582, USA.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Konety
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Acierno
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Becich
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Getzenberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009919:Orchiectomy; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011467:Prostate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D013739:Testosterone; D002117:Calcitriol