title: Androgen receptor expression of proliferating basal and luminal cells in adult murine ventral prostate.
abstract: Maintenance of the size and differentiated function of the adult prostate is dependent on testicular androgens. In this study, simultaneous androgen receptor (AR) immunohistochemistry and [(3)H]thymidine labelling was used to characterise the proliferating epithelial cells of the murine ventral prostate. Proliferation in the adult prostate was more prevalent in the basal cell population with 1.8&percent; AR-negative cells labelled with [(3)H]thymidine as compared with 0.7% AR-expressing luminal cells. Three weeks following castration of mice, the atrophied prostate contained rudimentary glands composed of both luminal and basal cells with the proportion of AR-expressing basal cells reduced from 50 to 25%. Administration of testosterone enanthate to castrated mice induced a recapitulation of the prostate gland that was preceded by up-regulation of AR expression in basal cells to normal adult levels (50% AR-positive cells) by 12 h following testosterone injection. Proliferation of AR-positive luminal cells peaked at 48 h (22.8%) while proliferation of AR-negative basal cells peaked at 96 h (6.1%) following testosterone administration. These results suggest that distinct populations of luminal and basal cells are resistant to castration-induced involution of the prostate but remain responsive to direct or indirect testosterone effects and recapitulate the gland following administration of testosterone.
authors.affiliation: The Bill and Rhonda Wyllie Laboratory, Urological Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mirosevich
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bentel
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zeps
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Redmond
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: D'Antuono
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Dawkins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011467:Prostate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone