title: Apoptosis and related genes in the rat ventral prostate following androgen ablation in response to ethane dimethanesulfonate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following androgen withdrawal, regression of the prostate is characterized by apoptotic cell death. The molecular events governing this process have not been fully characterized.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using ethane-1,2-dimethanesulfonate (EDS) to induce androgen ablation, we investigated the role of the Bcl-2 family members and Fas pathway in this phenomenon. Prostates were examined from adult male rats injected with 100 mg/kg EDS and killed 2, 5, and 8 days later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regression of the prostate was evident as a time-dependent decrease in weight. The number of apoptotic cells identified by in situ end labeling was maximal after 5 days of treatment. There was no statistically significant change in the expression of Bax, Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, or p53 following androgen withdrawal. In contrast, 5 days post-EDS treatment, testosterone-repressed prostate message (TRPM-2) and Fas-R expression were induced. There was a decline in Fas-L levels 8 days after EDS administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study extends previous work which has shown that androgen withdrawal induces apoptosis in the prostate. We have shown that although p53 and the Bcl-2 family members examined in this study do not seem to be important in this process, the Fas pathway may play a role in apoptosis of the ventral prostate in response to androgen ablation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, United Kingdom. Ian.woolveridge@man.ac.uk
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Woolveridge
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D051152:Clusterin; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D016158:Genes, p53; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008297:Male; D008698:Mesylates / Q000633:toxicity*; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D051152:Clusterin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008698:Mesylates; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D019014:fas Receptor; C002994:ethylene dimethanesulfonate