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Effects of cyclic stretch on prostatic cells in culture
Paul K Hegarty1, R William G Watson, Ronan N T Coffey
1Department of Surgery, Mater Misericordiae Hospital and University College Dublin, Ireland.
Purpose:
The fundamental process in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a loss of homeostasis between cell proliferation and apoptosis. Prostatic smooth muscle cells contract under adrenergic control. The response of a cell to stretch may have a role in the pathogenesis of BPH.
Materials And Methods:
Monolayer cultures of human prostatic stromal and epithelial cell lines were exposed to cyclic stretch for 48 hours.
Results:
Cyclic stretch conferred resistance to etoposide induced apoptosis. Underlying this apoptotic resistance was increased expression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family of proteins. As measured by thymidine incorporation, the rate of proliferation also increased in benign epithelial cells under cyclic stretch conditions. Furthermore, an increase in the production of platelet-derived growth factor by stromal cells and transforming growth factor-beta by epithelial cells occurred under such conditions.
Conclusions:
The observed changes in proliferation and apoptosis may contribute to the understanding of BPH, ultimately leading to therapeutic and preventive applications.