Telocytes contribute to aging-related modifications in the prostate

Abstract

Telocytes are interstitial cells present in the stroma of several organs, including the prostate. There is evidence that these cells are present during prostate alveologenesis, in which these cells play a relevant role, but there is no information about the presence of and possible changes in telocytes during prostate aging. Throughout aging, the prostate undergoes several spontaneous changes in the stroma that are pro-pathogenic. Our study used histochemistry, 3D reconstructions, ultrastructure and immunofluorescence to compare the adult prostate with the senile prostate of the Mongolian gerbil, in order to investigate possible changes in telocytes with senescence and a possible role for these cells in the age-associated alterations. It was found that the layers of perialveolar smooth muscle become thinner as the prostatic alveoli become more dilated during aging, and that telocytes form a network that involves smooth muscle cells, which could possibly indicate a role for telocytes in maintaining the integrity of perialveolar smooth muscles. On the other hand, with senescence, VEGF+ telocytes are seen in stroma possibly contributing to angiogenesis, together with TNFR1+ telocytes, which are associated with a pro-inflammatory microenvironment in the prostate. Together, these data indicate that telocytes are important both in understanding the aging-related changes that are seen in the prostate and also in the search for new therapeutic targets for pathologies whose frequency increases with age.

Telocytes of the male urogenital system: Interrelationships, possible functions, and pathological implications

“…This factor is known to stimulate the migration of CD34-positive cells (Liang et al, 2010). Other findings indicate that telocytes contribute to the maintenance of prostate tissue architecture through regulation of smooth muscle layers both in adulthood and with aging (Sanches et al, 2020b). In addition, after castration and the generation of a hypoandrogenic medium, telocytes lose their cellular junctions with epithelial and smooth muscle cells and are the first to undergo a phenotypic transition, in which they become atrophic.…”

Stromal cell interplay in prostate development, physiology, and pathological conditions

“…In the testes, the absence of telocytes in cases of seminoma leads to stromal collapse, 98 which corroborates the hypothesis that telocytes are essential elements for maintaining the stromal organization in several organs. Moreover, telocytes in the prostate also interact with fibroblasts, 23 which was confirmed in in vitro experiments with prostatic explants, in which telocytes occupy the edges of the regions occupied by fibroblasts, forming networks of telopodes that establish cellular adhesions among themselves and with fibroblasts 99 . Though not much is known about such interactions, ultrastructural data indicate that telocytes are closely associated with collagen fibrils.…”

Telocytes in Fibrosis Diseases: From Current Findings to Future Clinical Perspectives

“…The prostatic TCs undergone dynamic alterations under castration, such as phenotypic transitions, Tps loss, or folding, which can be reversed by testosterone, indicated androgen-dependent TCs play a key role in prostate tissue organization and reversing prostate involution by connecting with alveoli and smooth muscle 154 . Furthermore, TCs contributed to age-related structural alterations in the prostate by synthesizing VEGF and expressing TNFR1, which promoted angiogenesis and established a pro-inflammatory microenvironment respectively 14 .…”

“…1 ). In addition, TCs can establish contacts with the connective extracellular matrix (ECM) 12 – 14 . With the aid of focused ion beam–scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) tomography, Tps present narrow and flattened (ribbon-like) structures and form 3D network by adherent homocellular junctions between TCs in heart and skin tissues; thus, strengthening the understanding of TCs’ spatial morphology 5 , 15 .…”