Androgenic modulation of matrix metalloproteinases and estrogen receptors in the gerbil male and female prostates

Orientador: Sebastião Roberto TabogaTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo: O presente trabalho teve por objetivos: 1) Avaliar a atividade das MMPs na próstata de gerbilos machos e fêmeas adultos intactos, procurando comparar a glândula prostática de machos e fêmeas nas diferentes fases do ciclo estral (artigo I); 2) Avaliar o efeito da testosterona sobre o lobo ventral masculino e sobre a próstata feminina quanto à localização de MMP-2 e TIMP-2, enzimas envolvidas na remodelação estromal e na progressão do câncer (artigo II) e 3) Caracterizar a distribuição dos receptores de estrógeno, ER? e ER?, nos tecidos prostáticos de gerbilos machos e fêmeas controles e submetidos à manipulação hormonal (artigo III). Foram realizados experimentos de castração (7 ou 21 dias) nos gerbilos machos adultos, além de experimentos de aplicação hormonal (7 ou 21 dias) em fêmeas adultas na fase de proestro (cipionato de T, 1 mg/kg ou DHEA, 1 mg/kg). Os tecidos foram avaliados por análises bioquímicas, histológicas e imuno-histoquímicas. A atividade gelatinolítica das MMPs obtida por zimografia difere entre os lobos prostáticos masculinos e a glândula feminina, que apresenta os níveis mais altos para MMP-2 e -9, provavelmente devido à constante remodelação estromal promovida pelo ciclo estral. Com relação ao ciclo estral, a maior atividade de MMP-2 e -9 foi encontrada na fase estro, indicando influência do estrógeno. A castração elevou a expressão de MMP-2 na próstata ventral masculina, e o mesmo efeito foi observado após 21 dias de aplicação de T nas fêmeas, indicando que MMPs e TIMPs são influenciados por andrógenos, mas de forma distinta entre machos e fêmeas uma vez que tanto a falta como o excesso de T levaram ao mesmo efeito, provavelmente, devido a machos e fêmeas apresentarem diferentes padrões de expressão para os receptores nucleares, responsáveis por regular a resposta hormonal pelos tecidos. Segundo o estudo há notável diferença na imunolocalização de ER? entre machos e fêmeas, cujas células estromais prostáticas apresentaram duas vezes mais ER? do que as células estromais da próstata ventral masculina. Esse número foi reduzido drasticamente após aplicação de T por 21 dias nas fêmeas, mas não após a castração dos machos. A reação ao ER? foi similar entre machos e fêmeas intactos, mas a castração dos machos ou a aplicação hormonal nas fêmeas promoveu resposta específica, como total ausência após 21 dias de T nas fêmeas ou intensa imunoreação em algumas regiões da próstata após 21 dias de castração nos machos. Adicionalmente, lesões epiteliais presentes nos grupos experimentais tiveram reação ER?-positivas e ER?-negativas, corroborando os estudos que relacionam o ER? com o desenvolvimento e progressão de doenças prostáticas e o ER? como um fator de prevenção e tratamento do câncer. Os resultados obtidos reforçam o conceito de que o equilíbrio estrógeno/testosterona é essencial para a homeostase prostática, e que tanto andrógenos quanto estrógenos atuam sobre as células epiteliais, através dos receptores nucleares, mas também sobre o compartimento estromal, regulando componentes como as MMPs. No caso da próstata feminina, essa interação é ainda mais complexa pois envolve as alterações cíclicas do ciclo estralAbstract: The present study aimed to: 1) Acess the activity of MMPs in the prostate gland of intact adult male and female gerbils, trying to compare the male prostate lobes with the female gland in different phases of the estrous cycle (Article I); 2) Evaluate the effect of testosterone on ventral prostate of males and on female prostate in the proestrus phase over the location of MMP-2 and TIMP-2, enzymes involved in stromal remodeling and cancer progression (Article II); and 3) Characterize the distribution of estrogen receptors, ER? and ER? in prostatatic tissue of male and female controls and under hormonal manipulation (Article III). Castration experiments (7 and 21 days) were conducted in adult male gerbils as well as hormone injection experiments (7 and 21 days) in adult females in the proestrus phase (T cypionate, 1 mg/kg or DHEA, 1 mg/kg). Tissues were evaluated by biochemical, histological and immunohistochemical methods. The gelatinolytic activity of MMPs, measured by zymography gel, differs from male prostatic lobes and the female gland, which presents the highest levels of MMP-2 and -9, probably due to its constant stromal remodeling promoted by the estrous cycle. Regarding the estrous cycle, the highest activity of MMP-2 and -9 was found in the estrus phase, indicating the influence of estrogen. Castration increased the expression of MMP-2 in the male ventral prostate, and this same effect was observed after 21 days of T injection in females, indicating that MMP and TIMP regulatory mechanism is also influenced by androgens, although differently between males and females since both the failure as the excess of T lead to the same effect, probably due to males and females presenting different patterns of expression for nuclear receptors, which are responsible for regulating the hormonal response by the tissues. According to our results, there is a remarkable difference in the immunolocalization of ER? between males and females, whose stromal cells presented two times more ER? than stromal cells of the male ventral prostate. This number was drastically reduced after 21 days of T injection in females, but not after castration of males. The immunoreaction to ER? was similar between intact males and females, but the castration of males or the hormonal injection in females promoted specific response, such as total absence of reaction after 21 days of T treatment in females or intense immunoreaction in some regions of ventral prostate after 21 days of castration. Additionally, epithelial lesions found in the experimental groups, were ER?-positives and ER?-negative, corroborating studies that relate ER? with the development and progression of prostatic diseases and ER? as a factor in preventing and treating cancer. The results obtained in this study therefore reinforce the concept that the estrogen/testosterone balance is essential for prostate homeostasis, and that either androgens or estrogens have an effect on the prostatic epithelial cells, via nuclear receptors, but also on the stromal compartment by regulating components such as MMPs. In the case of the female prostate, this interaction is even more complex since it involves the cyclical changes of the estrous cycleDoutoradoBiologia CelularDoutor em Biologia Celular e Estrutura

Testosterone Therapy Differently Regulates the Anti- and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in the Plasma and Prostate of Rats Submitted to Chronic Ethanol Consumption (UChB)

ProblemEthanol consumption damages the prostate, and testosterone is known by anti-inflammatory role.Methods of StudyThe cytokines were investigated in the plasma and ventral prostate of UChB rats submitted or not to testosterone therapy by ELISA and Western blot, respectively. Additionally, inflammatory foci and mast cells were identified in the ventral prostate slides stained by hematoxylin and eosin and toluidine blue, respectively.ResultsInflammatory foci were found in the ethanol-treated animals and absent after testosterone therapy. Plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-10 were not changed while TNF alpha and TFG-beta 1 were increased in the animals submitted testosterone therapy. Regarding to ventral prostate, IL-6 did not alter, while IL-10, TNF alpha, and TFG-b1 were increased after testosterone therapy. Ethanol increases NFR2 in addition to high number of intact and degranulated mast cell which were reduced after testosterone therapy.ConclusionsSo, ethanol and testosterone differentially modulates the cytokines in the plasma and prostate.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in the prostates of male and female mongolian gerbils: effects of hormonal manipulation

TIMPs in the prostates of male and female gerbils and evaluated the effects of testosterone on the expression of these enzymes. Ventral prostates from male gerbils that were either intact or had been castrated for 7 or 21 days, along with prostates from female gerbils that were either intact or had been treated with testosterone for 7 or 21 days, were submitted to histological, stereological and immunohistochemical analyses. Stereology of prostatic components showed significant alterations of tissue compartments in the ventral male prostate after castration, especially after 21 days, with a significant increase in stroma. Administration of testosterone led to disorganization in the female prostate, with a significant increase in collagen fibers and smooth muscle cells after 21 days, along with the development of epithelial lesions such as PINs. MMP-2 increased after 21 days of castration in males; however, the TIMP-2 immunoreaction for this group was weak or absent. In females, the expression of MMP-2 appeared to decrease after 7 days of treatment with testosterone, but after 21 days, both epithelium and stroma showed a stronger reaction for MMP-2 than the controls. The expression of TIMP-2 in the treated females was similar to its expression in the castrated males. We conclude that the distribution of MMPs and TIMPs in both male and female prostates is altered by androgen manipulation, but the mechanism of stromal regulation appears to be distinct between genders because both the lack of T in castrated males and the excess levels of T in treated females lead to the same effect

Estrogen receptors alpha and beta in male and female gerbil prostates

The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus, Gerbilinae: Muridae) is useful for prostate studies, because both males and females spontaneously develop prostatic disorders with age. Estrogens regulate prostate homeostasis via two estrogen receptors, ER alpha (ESR1) and ER beta (ESR2), but the cellular distribution and regulation of these receptors in the gerbil prostate has not been described. Both receptors were localized by immunohistochemistry in the ventral prostate of intact male and female gerbils, in males 7 and 21 days after castration, and in females treated with testosterone for 7 and 21 days. In male and female adult gerbils, ER alpha was detected mainly in prostatic stromal cells, whereas ER beta was present mostly in secretory and basal cells. More ER alpha-positive stromal cells were found in females than in males, as was a reduction toward the male value in females treated with testosterone. Castration did not alter ER alpha expression. Testosterone was necessary for maintenance of ER beta in the male prostate epithelium: ER beta expression declined markedly in prostates of males older than 1 yr, and castration of 4-mo-old males caused a reduction in ER beta to levels seen in 1-yr-old males. Because ER beta is an antiproliferative receptor, its loss with age may predispose the aging gerbil to proliferative diseases of the prostate. © 2013 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc

MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in male and female prostates of mongolian gerbil: effects of hormonal manipulation

TIMPs in the prostates of male and female gerbils and evaluated the effects of testosterone on the expression of these enzymes. Ventral prostates from male gerbils that were either intact or had been castrated for 7 or 21 days, along with prostates from female gerbils that were either intact or had been treated with testosterone for 7 or 21 days, were submitted to histological, stereological and immunohistochemical analyses. Stereology of prostatic components showed significant alterations of tissue compartments in the ventral male prostate after castration, especially after 21 days, with a significant increase in stroma. Administration of testosterone led to disorganization in the female prostate, with a significant increase in collagen fibers and smooth muscle cells after 21 days, along with the development of epithelial lesions such as PINs. MMP-2 increased after 21 days of castration in males; however, the TIMP-2 immunoreaction for this group was weak or absent. In females, the expression of MMP-2 appeared to decrease after 7 days of treatment with testosterone, but after 21 days, both epithelium and stroma showed a stronger reaction for MMP-2 than the controls. The expression of TIMP-2 in the treated females was similar to its expression in the castrated males. We conclude that the distribution of MMPs and TIMPs in both male and female prostates is altered by androgen manipulation, but the mechanism of stromal regulation appears to be distinct between genders because both the lack of T in castrated males and the excess levels of T in treated females lead to the same effect.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

MMP-2 and MMP-9 localization and activity in the female prostate during estrous cycle

The gerbil female prostate undergoes morphological and physiological changes resulting from hormonal fluctuations that occur during the reproductive cycle. These repetitive cycles of glandular growth and regression are followed by an extensive reconstruction and remodeling of prostate stroma throughout the reproductive life of the female gerbil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect that the hormonal fluctuations of the reproductive cycle have on the stromal remodeling and the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and -9 in the adult female gerbil prostate. For this, serological, ultrastructural, immunohistochemical and biochemical methods were employed. The results showed that the major stromal alteration coincide with the peak of estradiol, which occurs in estrus, and with the peak of progesterone, occurring during diestrus II. MMP-2 and -9 presented a similar pattern of expression and activity during estrous cycle. The estrus was the phase of greater expression and activity of MMP-2 and -9. On the other hand, in DI and DII, the tissue expression and activity of MMP-2 and -9 was very weak. These results are important since they suggest the involvement of estradiol and progesterone in regulating the expression and activity of MMP-2 and -9 in adult gerbil female prostate. © 2011 Elsevier Inc