title: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its death receptor (DR5) in Peyronie's disease. A biomolecular study of apoptosis activation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peyronie's disease (PD) is a connective tissue disorder of tunica albuginea (TA), a thick fibrous sheath surrounding the corpora cavernosa of the penis. Relatively, little is known about the disease itself.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the apoptosis cascade in degenerated and macroscopically deformed TA from men with PD is activated through the extrinsic pathway, by assessing the immunoexpression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its death receptor, DR5.
  
  
  METHODS
  TA plaques from 15 men with PD and from four unaffected men were processed for TRAIL and DR5 immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A greater understanding of the pathophysiology of PD through a molecular approach, to gain insights that may lead to novel forms of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Activation of the apoptosis mechanisms through the extrinsic pathway was demonstrated by TRAIL and DR5 overexpression in fibroblasts and myofibroblasts from affected TA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding that apoptosis activation in TA plaques occurs, at least in part, via the extrinsic pathway may help devise novel therapeutic options for these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Diagnostic Pathology, Forensic Medicine, Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Italy. carla.loreto@unict.it
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loreto
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbagli
authors.forename: Rados
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Djinovic
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vespasiani
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Carnazza
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miano
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sansalone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D010411:Penile Induration / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000378:metabolism*; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand