New perspectives on growth factor-sex steroid interaction in the prostate.
Many organs respond to both sex steroids and growth factors. Regulation of these pathways is integral to cell-cell communications during development and aberrant changes cause disease pathogenesis. Traditionally, paracrine and endocrine actions of growth factors and steroid hormones are considered independently. Recently, new data indicated that activin/TGFbeta and sex steroid signalling are linked; explicitly, that the pathways cross-talk intracellularly. Here we present new perspectives on these interactions, using examples predominantly from the prostate, as it is a well-characterised organ in this context. While this information provides insight to the potential mechanisms behind these interactions, it also presents a new challenge; the action of any of these factors cannot be considered exclusively without considering the impact on the other biological pathways.
Ball
Emma M A
EM
Centre for Urological Research, Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. emma.ball@med.monash.edu.au
Risbridger
Gail P
GP
D028341:Activins / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006133:Growth Substances; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D028341:Activins