Testosterone effect on immature prostate gland development associated with suppression of transforming growth factor-β

Interaction of testosterone with inhibin α and βA subunits to regulate prostate gland growth

“…On the one hand, the results of this study indicate that testosterone treatment acts to drive progressive glandular ductal canalization and inter-lobular and inter-acinar stromal differentiation, apparent from the gradual shift from vimentin expression to vimentin and a-actin expression. These findings are consistent with the role of the androgen in driving [1] and maintaining [22] the differentiation status of the prostate gland. This effect of testosterone treatment on prostate gland differentiation was associated with a differential effect on prostatic cell proliferation.…”

“…Consistent with our previous investigations [1], the results of this study showed that testosterone treatment induced progressive structural and biochemical changes characteristic of glandular and stromal compartment differentiation. Glandular differentiation was characterized by ductal canalization and differentiation of its epithelial cells.…”

“…We recently demonstrated that testosterone treatment guides the organization of the cellular components of the immature prostate gland into a fully mature-like structure [1]. In doing so, this androgen was shown to regulate the expression levels of locally produced signalling molecules and subsequently interact with them to finely tune prostate growth [2].…”

Testosterone effect on the expression of genes that mediate testosterone metabolism and genes that mediate the effect of those metabolites on the prostate

“…Previously, we reported that testosterone treatment of immature dogs for one month drives the growth of the immature prostate gland into a mature-like structure (Shidaifat et al, 2007a). In this study, the attempt was made to compare the proliferative capacity of the prostate glands from testosterone-treated and untreated dogs.…”

“…Since testosterone treatment alone acts to guide the coordinated development and organization of the cellular components of the immature prostate gland into a fully mature-like structure (Shidaifat et al, 2007a), this study was conducted to investigate the ability of testosterone to influence the expression levels of genes encoding enzymes that mediate testosterone metabolism or receptors that mediate the effects of testosterone metabolites on prostate gland growth. Accordingly, the mRNA expression levels of 5α-reductase, CYP7B1, AR, and ΕRβ in the prostate gland of testosterone-treated and untreated dogs were compared in association with prostate gland proliferation.…”