Regulation of the gap junction connexin 43 gene by androgens in the prostate.
Androgens play an important role in prostate gland development and function, and have been implicated in prostate carcinogenesis. We report the regulation of the gap junctional intercellular communication gene connexin 43 (Cx43) by androgens in the prostate gland. In rat ventral prostate tissue, only trace levels of Cx43 mRNA were detected. Castration, however, resulted in a high increase in Cx43 mRNA and protein. Cx32 was unchanged. Castration-induced Cx43 mRNA and protein were abolished by administration of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Following castration, prostate weights were approximately 16% of sham-treated controls. However, DHT replacement resulted in prostate weights which were not different from sham-treated controls. Under similar castration conditions, Cx43 induction coincided with pronounced apoptosis in the prostate gland cells, and DHT prevented the induction of apoptosis. Given the physiological role of gap junctions and androgens in the regulation of prostate tissue homeostasis, our observations are relevant to the understanding of androgen-dependent prostate carcinogenesis.
Huynh
H T
HT
Department of Medicine and Oncology, Lady Davis Institute of the Sir Mortimer B Davis Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, 3755 Chemin Cote Ste-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1E2, Canada.
Alpert
L
L
Laird
D W
DW
Batist
G
G
Chalifour
L
L
Alaoui-Jamali
M A
MA
D000818:Animals; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D018031:Connexin 43; D012333:RNA, Messenger