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Caspase-3 and -6 expression and activation are targeted by hormone action in the rat ventral prostate during the

Asma Omezzine1, Claire Mauduit, Eric Tabone

  • 1Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U 407), Faculté de Médecine Lyon-Sud, 69921, Oullins, France.

Biology of Reproduction
|May 2, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Testosterone regulates apoptosis in the adult rat ventral prostate by controlling effector caspases-3 and -6 expression and activation. This hormonal regulation specifically targets the ventral prostate, not other lobes.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Androgens are known to control apoptotic cell death in the prostate.
  • Specific molecular targets of androgens in prostate apoptosis remain largely unelucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of testosterone in regulating effector caspases (caspase-3 and -6) in the adult rat ventral prostate.
  • To determine if testosterone affects the expression and activation of specific caspases involved in apoptosis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a castration model in adult rats, with and without testosterone supplementation.
  • Quantified mRNA and protein levels of caspases-3, -6, and -8 using molecular biology techniques.
  • Assessed active (cleaved) forms of caspases to determine enzyme activation.

Main Results:

  • Castration significantly increased mRNA and procaspase levels of caspase-3 (3-fold) and caspase-6 (4-fold) in the ventral prostate.
  • Active caspase-3 and -6 levels were elevated post-castration, indicating increased apoptosis.
  • Testosterone administration reversed these castration-induced changes, preventing caspase upregulation and activation.
  • No significant changes in caspase-8 (initiator caspase) were observed, and caspase-3/-6 changes were specific to the ventral prostate lobe.

Conclusions:

  • Testosterone inhibits apoptosis in the adult rat ventral prostate.
  • This inhibition is mediated by suppressing the expression and activation of effector caspases-3 and -6.
  • Testosterone's effect appears to target transcriptional activity of caspase-3 and -6 genes and their subsequent cleavage into active forms.

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