title: Regional localization of activin-βA, activin-βC, follistatin, proliferation, and apoptosis in adult and developing mouse prostate ducts.
abstract: Activins and inhibins, members of the TGF-β superfamily, are growth and differentiation factors involved in the regulation of several biological processes, including reproduction, development, and fertility. Previous studies have shown that the activin-βAsubunit plays a pivotal role in prostate development. Activin-A inhibits branching morphogenesis in the developing prostate, and its expression is associated with increased apoptosis in the adult prostate. Follistatin, a structurally unrelated protein to activins, is an antagonist of activin-A. A balance between endogenous activin-A and follistatin is required to maintain prostatic branching morphogenesis. Deregulation of this balance leads to branching inhibition or excessive branching and increased maturation of the stroma surrounding the differentiating epithelial ducts. Recent work identified another member of the TGF-β superfamily, the activin-βCsubunit, as a novel antagonist of activin-A. Over-expression of activin-C (βC-βC) alters prostate homeostasis, by interfering with the activin-A signaling. The current study characterized the spatiotemporal localization of activin-A, activin-C and follistatin in the adult and developing mouse prostate using immunohistochemical analysis. Results showed activin-C and follistatin are differentially expressed during prostate development and suggested that the antagonistic property of follistatin is secondary to the action of activin-C. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence to support a role of activin-C in prostate development and provides new insights in the spatiotemporal localization of activins and their antagonists during mouse prostate development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Elspeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zellhuber-McMillan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Risbridger
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: femarino@iu.edu.
authors.forename: Francesco Elia
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Marino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D038681:Follistatin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000032:analysis* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D038681:Follistatin; C504187:Inhbc protein, mouse; C103008:inhibin beta A subunit; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits
keywords: Activin; Activin-C; Development; Follistatin; Morphogenesis; Prostate