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S W Hayward

Publications and source records attributed to S W Hayward.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The effect of testosterone on androgen receptors and human penile growth.

PURPOSE: Recent rat studies suggest that early exposure to exogenous testosterone accelerates the loss of androgen receptors and compromises eventual penile length. In humans we hypothesize that down regulation of the androgen receptor is not the mechanism that stops penile growth. To test this hypothesis we investigated the effects of androgen deprivation and supplementation on the developing human penis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 15 normal human fetal penises at 7 to 19 weeks of gestation (mean plus or minus standard deviation 12 +/- 4.5) was divided in half sagittally. Specimens were grafted beneath the renal capsule of male athymic nude mice or nude rats. Three groups of host animals were prepared, including 10 with no testosterone that were castrated at grafting, 15 with testosterone and 5 with super testosterone in which 50 mg. testosterone propionate pellets were implanted subcutaneously at grafting. Each fetal penile specimen was its own control, since half was implanted into an intact animal and the other into a castrated or super testosterone host. Six weeks after grafting the specimens were analyzed for gross size (length), histology and expression of androgen receptors. RESULTS: All human fetal penile specimens grew from the nadir size and appeared as white exophytic growths on the surface of the host kidneys. Normal grafts were larger than castrate specimens (mean 6.9 +/- 2.1 versus 3.9 +/- 2.1 mm., p = 0.014). Mean length of the super testosterone specimens (7.3 +/- 2.3 mm.) was not significantly greater than that of normal specimens (p = 0.797). Histological analysis revealed that all specimens were composed of viable penile tissue. Cellular density of the castrate penises was approximately 2 times greater than that of the normal and super testosterone specimens (40.6 +/- 5.9 versus 25.1 +/- 2.8 cells per cm.2, p > 0.001), as calculated on enlarged micrographs. Supraphysiological doses of testosterone did not change the histology compared to controls. Immunohistochemical localization revealed androgen receptors expressed throughout the corporeal bodies, surrounding stroma and penile skin with intracellular localization to nucleus. The mean proportion of cells expressing androgen receptors was higher in the castrate (29.4 +/- 5.2 cells per cm.2) than in the normal (24.0 +/- 3.7) and super testosterone (24.7 +/- 4.5) grafts (p = 0.005). However, in regard to growth there was no change in the proportion of androgen receptor positive cells among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Testosterone influences penile growth, possibly as a result of extracellular stromal expansion. The number of androgen receptor positive cells in the human fetal penis did not change among the castrate, normal and super testosterone hosts. These experiments support the hypothesis that penile growth cessation is mediated by mechanisms other than down regulation of the androgen receptor. Furthermore, these data support the hypothesis that early administration of androgen to prepubertal male individuals does not result in a shorter phallus in adulthood.

Humans↗

The role of type IV collagenases in rat bladder development and obstruction.

The role of type IV collagenases during rat bladder development and in response to partial bladder outlet obstruction was evaluated. Gelatinase gel zymography was performed on developing rat bladders (gestation d 16 and 19, at birth, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 75 d postnatally), after partial obstruction of the bladder outlet in young adults and after separation of the epithelium from the mesenchyme in young adults. Bladder function was assessed by cystometry in obstructed animals. During development, the 72-kD type-IV collagenase [matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, both latent and activated] was maximally expressed in the fetal period and decreased with age; whereas the 92-kD gelatinase (MMP-9) was not expressed in developing or adult bladders. MMP-2 was localized to the bladder mesenchyme and was undetectable in isolated epithelium. In 46 obstructed rats, there was an 8-fold increase in bladder volume and weight along with smooth muscle hypertrophy (mean smooth muscle cell diameter 7.09 +/- 0.11 microns versus 4.65 +/- 0.05 microns in normal animals, p < 0.001). Obstructed rats had increased quantities of latent and activated MMP-2 and MMP-9 compared with sham-operated and normal controls. These findings suggest that expression and activation of type IV collagenases (MMP-2 and 9) are developmentally regulated and play a role in bladder remodeling during developmental morphogenesis and after partial outlet obstruction.

Animals↗

Growth factors in bladder wound healing.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical and traumatic injuries to the bladder initiate a complex series of biological processes that result in wound healing. This process involves cellular proliferation, migration and differentiation; removal of damaged tissue; and production of extracellular matrix all of which may be controlled by growth factors. In skin, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is induced following incisional injury. We hypothesize that in bladder wound healing KGF and other growth factors are induced to modulate tissue repair. METHODS: We have created a model of surgical bladder injury in the rodent. At 12, 24 and 48 hrs and 5 and 7 days after injury, the bladder was bisected and total RNA extracted from the anterior or wounded half and posterior or non-wounded half. Histological analysis of the bladder wound was performed with Mason's Trichrome and immunohistochemistry against smooth muscle alpha actin. RNase protection assays were performed to examine the expression of KGF, transforming growth factor (TGF)alpha and TGF beta 2 and 3 as well as the receptors for KGF and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Lastly, the effects of the exogenous administration of KGF on the bladder was tested on neonatal mice by daily injections of 5 micrograms KGF per gram body weight for 5 days. RESULTS: At 12 hours after injury KGF mRNA expression in the anterior wounded bladder half and posterior non-wounded bladder half was 8 and 6 times higher respectively, compared to unoperated control bladders. A similar response was seen for TGF alpha, where the 12 hour mRNA expression was 4.5 times higher in the anterior wounded bladder half and 3.5 times higher in the posterior non-wounded bladder half compared to unoperated control bladders. The nadir mRNA expression for both KGF and TGF alpha occurred at 7 days after bladder injury and was the same as in unoperated control bladders. EGFR mRNA expression was approximately 2 times higher in both the anterior wounded and posterior non-wounded bladder halves compared to the nadir levels which occurred at 24 hours after injury. TGF beta 2 and beta 3 mRNA levels did not significantly change in either the anterior wounded or posterior non-wounded bladder halves. Exogenous KGF stimulation resulted in a marked urothelial proliferation when compared to age matched control animals. CONCLUSION: During the early phases of bladder wound healing (12-24 hours post injury), mRNA for KGF and TGF alpha increased, whereas TGF beta 2 and beta 3 and the KGFR and EGFR remain unchanged. Additionally, exogenous KGF has a direct effect on urothelial proliferation. KGF and TGF alpha warrant further study as potential mediators of bladder wound healing.

Animals↗

Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions in the bladder.

During bladder development, undifferentiated mesenchymal and epithelial cells undergo an orderly sequence of differentiation defined by the expression of smooth-muscle (alpha-actin, myosin, vinculin, desmin, vimentin, and laminin) and epithelial (cytokeratins 5, 7, 8, 14, 18 and 19) protein markers. This process requires mesenchymal-epithelial interactions with bladder epithelium (urothelium) necessary for the differentiation of bladder smooth muscle. Peptide growth factors such as keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and transforming growth factors (TGF) alpha and beta are likely candidates as mediators of these mesenchymal-epithelial interactions. Transcripts for KGF, TGF alpha, and TGF beta are regulated during bladder development and during smooth-muscle hypertrophy secondary to bladder-outlet obstruction. Finally, two experimental bladder models--(1) partial outlet obstruction and (2) regeneration of bladder smooth muscle into an acellular tissue matrix--are described in the context of mesenchymal-epithelial interactions in the bladder.

Animals↗

An edgewise look at basal epithelial cells: three-dimensional views of the rat prostate, mammary gland and salivary gland.

Wholemount immunocytochemical staining was used to visualize basal and luminal epithelial-cell-specific cytokeratin and smooth muscle alpha-actin expression in the developing and adult rat prostate, in the pregnant rat mammary gland and adult rat salivary gland. The stained samples were examined using an Edge R400 3D microscope. Images were collected in both single-image and stereo-pair formats. Prostatic basal epithelial cells were found to have a cell body covering an area of 52-62 microns 2. The mean footprint size of basal cells was not significantly different between prostatic lobes. Basal epithelial cells were most dense in the anterior and most sparse in the ventral prostatic lobes. Basal epithelial cells had a large body with many processes, which spread around the duct and projected between luminal cells towards the lumen. These processes closely approached their counterparts from adjacent basal cells. In the developing prostate the differentiation of the basal cells from undifferentiated epithelial cords was observed at the region of ductal widening associated with canalization. Following castration prostatic basal epithelial cells became more closely packed, though the size of individual cells was not significantly changed. There was a two-to four-fold increase in basal cell density by 7 days after surgery. Most prostatic luminal cells were found to have hexagonal bases though some were pentagonal in shape. Luminal cells had a mean basal area of 50 microns 2. In the prostate immunocytochemical staining against smooth muscle alpha-actin revealed discrete bands of muscle surrounding individual prostatic ducts. In the mammary and salivary glands the epithelium was organized into an alveolar arrangement. In the salivary gland a single basal epithelial cell covered the top of each alveolus with processes arranged down the side of the structure. In the mammary gland several basal cells were draped over each alveolus. The mammary and salivary gland basal cells expressed smooth muscle alpha-actin, indicating their myoepithelial phenotype. The organization of the mammary and salivary gland basal cells placed them in an ideal position to squeeze the alveolar structures.

Actins↗

Regeneration of bladder urothelium, smooth muscle, blood vessels and nerves into an acellular tissue matrix.

PURPOSE: To study the cellular events occurring during bladder development and regeneration we developed an in vivo model of bladder augmentation with an acellular tissue graft. We propose that the extracellular matrix orchestrates the regenerative capacity of host bladder cells (urothelium, smooth muscle, blood vessels and nerve cells) after bladder augmentation with acellular tissue matrix. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 adult rats underwent partial cystectomy and augmentation with a patch of extracellular matrix representing the full thickness of rat gastric or bladder tissue. Sections were examined histologically to assess urothelial, smooth muscle and neuronal invasion of the graft. RESULTS: A total of 32 rats was evaluated 1 day to 26 weeks after grafting. Epithelialization occurred by day 4, accompanied by granulocytic infiltration. Smooth muscle regenerated 2 weeks after grafting in juxtaposition to epithelial surfaces and it matured into normal sized bundles by 26 weeks. Neovascularity was noted 2 weeks postoperatively. Neural elements formed around developing smooth muscle bundles as early as 4 weeks after grafting. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the regeneration of urothelium, smooth muscle, blood vessels and nerves within a full thickness grafted acellular tissue matrix scaffold in the rat. The spatial orientation of these elements suggests that mesenchymal-epithelial interactions occur during phenotypic regeneration of the bladder. Urothelium appears to regulate the early forming smooth muscle. This in vivo model provides a suitable method to study cellular events during regeneration.

Animals↗

Smooth muscle-epithelial interactions in normal and neoplastic prostatic development.

A hypothesis is proposed that unifies prostatic developmental biology and carcinogenesis. The foundation of this hypothesis is the reciprocal interaction of epithelium and mesenchyme during prostatic development followed thereafter by a reciprocal homeostatic interaction of epithelium and smooth muscle in adulthood. This smooth muscle-epithelial cell interaction is perturbed during prostatic carcinogenesis with adverse sequelae for both epithelium and smooth muscle. The following sequence of events is proposed to occur: (1) Under the influence of androgens, urogenital sinus mesenchyme (UGM) induces urogenital sinus epithelium to undergo prostatic ductal morphogenesis and differentiation. (2) As prostatic epithelium differentiates, it in turn signals the UGM to differentiate into smooth muscle cells that closely surround the epithelial ducts. Differentiation of prostatic smooth muscle requires both an inductive signal from epithelium and androgens. (3) Once formed, prostatic smooth muscle participates in reciprocal homeostatic interactions. We propose that prostatic smooth muscle under the influence of androgens signals to prostatic epithelium to maintain epithelial differentiation and to repress epithelial proliferation, while prostatic epithelium signals to prostatic smooth muscle to maintain smooth muscle differentiation. In adulthood, homeostasis is maintained through reciprocal interactions between smooth muscle and epithelial cells with minimal proliferation of either cell type. Prostatic carcinogenesis, which is initiated following genetic damage to prostatic epithelium, is surmised to involve a sequential disruption in these reciprocal homeostatic interactions with ensuing dedifferentiation of both the emerging prostatic carcinoma cells and smooth muscle. Thus, following genetic insult to prostatic epithelium the epithelium fails to signal appropriately to the smooth muscle, which then begins to dedifferentiate. As smooth muscle differentiation begins to deviate, signaling from prostatic smooth muscle to prostatic epithelium becomes anomalous resulting in progressive loss of control over epithelial differentiation and proliferation. During progression of prostatic carcinogenesis a vicious cycle is established in which both prostatic epithelium and smooth muscle dedifferentiate. This hypothesis is based on the ontogeny of prostatic smooth muscle differentiation during development and by the fact that the amount of smooth muscle progressively diminishes in human prostatic adenocarcinomas during progression from low- to high-grade cancers. Finally, in experimental tissue recombinants in which various normal or neoplastic prostatic epithelia were grown in combination with embryonic rat UGM, only normal (non-neoplastic) epithelia were capable of inducing differentiation of prostatic smooth muscle in UGM. Based on several lines of evidence, it is now apparent that smooth muscle-epithelial interactions are the operative cell-cell interaction in the postnatal prostate which plays a key role in regulating epithelial differentiation, proliferation and carcinogenesis.

Animals↗

Epithelial development in the rat ventral prostate, anterior prostate and seminal vesicle.

The prostate and seminal vesicle (SV) are androgen-dependent secretory glands of the male genital tract. The epithelial cells of these glands produce the bulk of the seminal secretions. The objective of the present study was to examine the ontogeny of cytokeratin and androgen receptor (AR) expression in the rat SV, anterior prostate (AP) and ventral prostate (VP). The study utilized organ culture to examine the effects of androgens on the development of these markers and castration of adult rats to examine androgenic effects on their maintenance. Tissues were examined from 14 days of gestation to adulthood. The SV was a tubular organ from its inception while the prostate formed from solid epithelial cords. These prostatic buds canalized in a proximal to distal manner starting at day 1 postnatal in the VP and day 5 in the AP. The expression of cytokeratins and AR was visualized by immunocytochemistry. In all three glands keratins 5, 7, 8, 14, 18 and 19 were initially uniformly expressed in all epithelial cells. In the SV, segregation of cytokeratins between the luminal and basal cell types started at 4 days postnatally with keratin 7 localizing to basal cells. Five days after birth, keratins 5 and 14 were also localized to the basal epithelium, while keratins 8 and 18 were only expressed by luminal cells, Keratin 19 was expressed in all epithelial cells throughout development and into adulthood. In the VP and AP the same pattern of cytokeratin segregation occurred as in the SV. Epithelial differentiation occurred in a proximal to distal fashion in the prostate. In the proximal VP ducts keratins 7 and 14 were basally localized by 2 days postnatally, while keratin 5 did not clearly segregate to basal cells until day 9 after birth. In the AP keratin 14 was basally localized by 1 day postnatal but keratin 5 and 7 did not colocalize to the basal cells until days 9 and 12, respectively. AR were expressed in the epithelium of the urogenital sinus from 19 days of gestation. At 19 and 20 days of embryonic development AR-negative prostatic buds were seen emerging from the AR-positive urogenital sinus epithelium. By birth AR were detectable in the epithelium of both prostatic lobes and the SV. The role of androgens in the development of the prostatic and SV epithelium was investigated in a serum-free organ culture system. These experiments showed that differentiation of prostatic and SV luminal and basal epithelial cell types was accelerated as compared to the in vivo situation in the presence of androgens, and did not occur in their absence. Following castration of adult animals the prostate and SV regressed with preferential loss of luminal epithelium. The relative numbers of basal cells was increased, though some flattened cells expressing a luminal cell pattern of cytokeratins were still observed. AR were detected in the prostatic and SV epithelium of long-term castrated animals. In summary, the rat prostate was found to be derived from undifferentiated solid epithelial cords. Canalization occurred concurrent with the differentiation of clear epithelial subtypes. Epithelial AR were expressed from around the time of birth and expression levels increased with age. The SV was canalized from its inception but likewise was derived from an undifferentiated epithelial precursor.

Age Factors↗

Stromal development in the ventral prostate, anterior prostate and seminal vesicle of the rat.

The prostate and seminal vesicle (SV) are androgen-dependent secretory glands of the male genital tract. They produce the bulk of the seminal secretions. The object of the present study was to examine and document the ontogeny of stromal maturation in the rat anterior and ventral prostate and SV. These organs have a loosely organized cellular mesenchyme during fetal development. During prostatic development the mesenchyme condensed to form smooth muscle sheaths immediately surrounding the epithelium, with looser connective tissue between individual ducts. In the SV, a loose connective tissue layer called the lamina propria lies between the epithelium and developing muscle. Smooth muscle alpha-actin, myosin, desmin, laminin, vinculin, vimentin and androgen receptor (AR) expression were examined by immunocytochemical methods during the pre- and postnatal developmental periods. The first marker to be detected was vimentin, which was initially found throughout the mesenchyme. During development vimentin became mostly restricted to the interductal tissue of the prostate and the lamina propria of the SV. Smooth muscle markers were expressed in an orderly sequence in a proximal to distal manner along prostatic ducts, from the urethra towards the tips. Expression of alpha-actin was followed by vinculin, myosin, desmin, and laminin. These markers became localized to the developing smooth muscle sheaths and were not expressed in the interductal tissue of the prostate or the lamina propria of the SV. Organ culture experiments demonstrated that androgens were required for the differentiation of smooth muscle sheaths. Castration of adult rats demonstrated that androgens were required to maintain smooth muscle differentiation. In castrates, the stroma was relatively thicker but less dense than in intact animals. Following castration, expression of the smooth muscle markers was lost sequentially in the reverse order of their expression during development. In long-term castrates alpha-actin, vimentin and a small amount of vinculin were detected. AR were first detected in the urogenital sinus mesenchyme immediately surrounding the epithelium at 16 days of gestation. As development progressed expression of AR became more widespread, and postnatally was found throughout the mesenchyme. As maturation of smooth muscle occurred, stromal expression of AR became localized to the muscular sheath immediately surrounding the epithelium. In the prostate the interductal connective tissue displayed very low levels of AR expression. In the SV, AR were also observed in the lamina propria. In summary, stromal differentiation and dedifferentiation in the rat prostate and SV were found to be androgen-dependent processes with ordered sequential ontogenic expression of specific markers.

Actins↗

Ontogeny of the rat bladder: smooth muscle and epithelial differentiation.

The sequential expression of smooth muscle and epithelial markers in the rat bladder has been defined. Smooth muscle differentiation, based on cell morphology and immunohistochemical localization of smooth muscle alpha-actin, myosin, vinculin, desmin, vimentin and laminin, begins at 16 days of gestation (birth = 22 days) in the rat bladder. Smooth muscle cell differentiation begins in the periphery of the bladder mesenchyme immediately subadjacent to the serosa and continues toward the urothelium. The cytokeratins 5, 7, 8, 14, 18, and 19 are expressed in the bladder epithelium as a function of developmental age with cytokeratin 7, 8, 18, and 19 being coexpressed at 15 days' gestation followed by cytokeratin 5 at 17 days' gestation and cytokeratin 14 in the newborn bladder. An understanding of the ontogeny of both smooth muscle and epithelial differentiation markers in the normal bladder will allow us to study events that occur in the diseased bladder.

Animals↗

Growth factors and receptors in bladder development and obstruction.

During fetal and neonatal development and experimental obstruction, the bladder wall undergoes changes in both the amount and composition of the urothelium, extracellular matrix, and smooth muscle. We hypothesize that cell-cell signaling among the different layers of the bladder wall mediates these changes. Growth factors likely to be involved in this process are keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha, -beta 2, and -beta 3. Whole rodent bladders were analyzed by RNase protection assays for KGF, KGF receptor, TGF alpha, epidermal growth factor receptor, and TGF beta 2 and -beta 3 transcripts at Fetal Day 14 (before smooth muscle differentiation) and Fetal Day 18 (after smooth muscle differentiation), at birth, and 60 days postnatal. Growth factor transcripts were also analyzed in partially obstructed rodent bladders and in sham-operated animals. TGF beta 2 and -beta 3 mRNA expression decreased as a function of gestational age, whereas TGF alpha mRNA increased. KGF mRNA was low before smooth muscle differentiation at 14 days' gestation, then increased. The mRNA of receptors for KGF and EGF remained essentially unchanged throughout bladder development. In bladders subjected to partial urethral outlet obstruction, there was a 2-fold increase in mRNA for TGF beta 2, a 5-fold increase in TGF beta 3, and a 10-fold increase TGF alpha mRNA. In contrast, there was no change in transcripts for either KGF or receptors for KGF and epidermal growth factor. Immunohistochemical localization of the protein for these growth factors showed selective localization to the epithelium and/or smooth muscle for TGF beta 2 and -beta 3, whereas TGF alpha and the epidermal growth factor receptor localized throughout the bladder wall. In conclusion, growth factor mRNA expression is modulated in bladder development and obstruction, which implies a possible mechanistic role of growth factors for the observed changes in the bladder wall and extracellular matrix.

Animals↗

Role of mesenchymal-epithelial interactions in normal bladder development.

PURPOSE: To assess the role of cell-cell interactions in the development of bladder smooth muscle. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bladders from 14-day rat fetuses (prior to smooth muscle differentiation) were isolated and digested with trypsin to separate the mesenchyme and epithelium. Three types of specimens were prepared for grafting under the renal capsule of syngeneic adult hosts: a) intact bladder (BL) which had been isolated from fetuses of timed pregnant rats by surgical methods alone; b) bladder mesenchyme (BLM) alone (urothelium removed following trypsinization); and c) isolated BLM recombined with bladder urothelium (BLM + BLE). After 2 weeks of in vivo growth the grafts were assessed by immunocytochemical techniques for the expression of smooth muscle cells markers (actin, myosin, vinculin, laminin and desmin). The same experiments were repeated in vitro. In the final experiment, the induction of bladder smooth muscle was elicited in situ across species lines. Fourteen-day rat BLM was grafted onto the proximal ureter of an athymic nude mouse after ipsilateral nephrectomy. RESULTS: Grafts of intact BL and BLM + BLE recombinants expressed smooth muscle differentiation. In contrast, grafts of BLM alone remained devoid of smooth muscle. This was also true for the in vitro studies in which, after 5 days of growth, BLM + BLE recombinants (n = 12) showed clear evidence of smooth muscle differentiation. In contrast, cultures of BLM alone (n = 12) exhibited poor growth without smooth muscle differentiation. In the final experiment testing the induction of smooth muscle across species, after 1 month in vivo growth the urothelium of the cut end of the ureter had invaded the grafted BLM. The BLM grafts (n = 3) had increased 30 times in size, and immunocytochemical staining showed clear expression of smooth muscle markers in the grafted BLM in proximity to the urothelium. CONCLUSION: We have shown that the differentiation of smooth muscle in the rat bladder is dependent upon an inductive interaction with the epithelium.

Animals↗

Establishment and characterization of an immortalized but non-transformed human prostate epithelial cell line: BPH-1.

This report describes the development and characterization of an epithelial cell line (BPH-1) from human prostate tissue obtained by transurethral resection. Primary epithelial cell cultures were immortalized with SV40 large T antigen. One of the isolated clones was designated BPH-1. These cells have a cobblestone appearance in monolayer culture and are non-tumorigenic in nude mice following subcutaneous injection or subrenal capsule grafting. They express the SV40 large T antigen and exhibit increased levels of p53, as determined by immunocytochemistry. Cytogenetic analysis by G-banding demonstrated an aneuploid karyotype with a modal chromosome number of 76 (range 71 to 79, n = 28) and 6 to 8 marker chromosomes. Some structurally rearranged chromosomes were observed, but the Y chromosome was normal. The expressed cytokeratin profile was consistent with a prostatic luminal epithelial cell. This profile was the same as that of primary prostatic epithelial cultures from which the BPH-1 cells were derived. In serum-free culture in plastic dishes epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 1 (aFGF), and FGF 7 (KGF) induced increased proliferation in these cells whereas FGF 2 (bFGF), TGF-beta 1, and TGF-beta 2 inhibited proliferative activity. Testosterone had no direct effect on the proliferative rate of BPH-1 cells. 5 alpha-Reductase, 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase, and 17 beta-hydroxy-steroid oxidoreductase activities were detected in BPH-1 cells. Expression of androgen receptors and the secretory markers, prostate specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase, were not detectable by immunocytochemistry, biochemical assay, or RT-PCR analysis.

Aged↗

Regression of LNCaP human prostate tumor xenografts in athymic nude mice by 13-cis-retinoic acid and androgen ablation.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) (100 micrograms/mouse/day) and androgen ablation (castration) alone and in combination on growth of a human prostatic carcinoma line (LNCaP) transplanted to athymic nude mice as an experimental model. The results of these studies suggest that; (1) androgen ablation (castration) significantly decreased the size of LNCaP xenograft as compared to untreated animals; (2) when 13-cis-RA was administered to nude mice carrying established tumors (0.51 +/- 0.04 cm3), the tumor size was significantly reduced as compared to untreated controls (0.65 +/- 0.06 cm3 versus 1.63 +/- 0.12 cm3). About 50% of the animals in this group showed xenografts necrosis followed by complete regression of tumors by five months; (3) the combination of androgen ablation and 13-cis-RA treatment to nude mice carrying tumors showed synergistic effect in decreasing the tumor size. These results indicate that combination therapies based on androgen ablation and retinoid administration may be a useful approach for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Animals↗

Phenotypic and cytogenetic characterization of a human corpus cavernosum cell line (DS-1).

We report here the establishment and characterization of a corpus cavernosum cell line (DS-1) from human penile tissue. This is the first cell line of its type derived from cavernosum tissue. DS-1 cells have become immortalized in culture, and show growth in monolayers. These cells have a doubling time of about 45 h in in vitro culture. Cytogenetic analysis by G-banding demonstrated a diploid karyotype with a model chromosome number of 46. The chromosome constitution of DS-1 cells was found to be male (XY), in 28/30 cells scored. Two of the 30 cells showed an extra structurally rearranged "marker" chromosome, that appeared to be a derivative of chromosome 18 with excessive chromosome on the short arm. Ploidy analysis revealed that the majority of DS-1 cells had a DNA index of one. About 35% cells were found to be in G-1 phase and 52% cells in S phase. Light and electron microscopy of DS-1 cells and original penile tissue showed typical characteristics of this tissue. Immunocytochemistry studies using antibodies to smooth muscle actin, desmin, vimentin and cytokeratin (LP34, CAM5.2) showed that the DS-1 cell line had predominantly smooth muscle cells, as these cells were positive for smooth muscle actin, desmin and vimentin.

Cell Division↗

A functional model of adult human prostate epithelium. The role of androgens and stroma in architectural organisation and the maintenance of differentiated secretory function.

A functional model of adult human prostate epithelium is described. This model shows that stromal cells, but not an androgenic stimuli, are required for architectural organisation of prostate epithelium. Within an organised structure, androgenic stimulation is required for the establishment of secretory epithelial cell morphology and associated function. In the absence of stromal cells but in the presence of androgens architectural organisation and secretory function are lost. Epithelial parenchymal units (organoids) from human prostate tissue were isolated, cultured within a three-dimensional collagen matrix, and xenografted subcutaneously into athymic mouse hosts. The grafted gels were rapidly invaded by host fibroblasts. Epithelial organisation initially disappeared but was re-established concurrently with the stromal cell invasion. In intact male hosts, cuboidal and columnar cells that expressed human prostate-specific secretory markers were found. In castrated male and in female hosts epithelial structures were lined with flattened epithelium with no secretory function. This phenomenon could be reversibly replicated by treating intact male hosts with the anti-androgen Flutamide. Gels containing organoids grafted within 0.45 microns Millipore chambers were not invaded by stromal cells and rapidly lost all epithelial organisation and secretory function. When organoids cocultured with human foreskin fibroblasts were grafted within chambers, structural organisation of the epithelium was supported. These results indicate that both heterologous human fibroblasts and mouse stromal cells are capable of permissively supporting adult human prostate epithelial function.

Aged↗