Expression of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) in human prostate

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) is known to induce bone formation.
• BMP-7 expression is elevated in metastatic bone lesions, correlating with osteoblastic metastasis.
• BMP-7 expression is not typically detected in normal bone tissue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate BMP-7 gene expression levels in normal prostate, newly diagnosed prostate cancer, and local recurrent prostate cancer tissues.
• To examine the role of androgens in regulating BMP-7 expression in human prostate epithelial cells.

Main Methods:

• RNA extraction from 23 normal prostate, 28 newly diagnosed prostate cancer, and 23 local recurrent prostate cancer tissue samples.
• Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to measure BMP-7 gene expression, with Glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as an internal standard.
• Analysis of BMP-7 expression in human prostatic epithelial cells (HPECs) with and without dihydrotestosterone (DHT) treatment.

Main Results:

• BMP-7 expression was significantly highest in normal prostate glandular tissues (P < 0.05).
• BMP-7 expression decreased during prostate cancer development and progression.
• BMP-7 expression in HPECs treated with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) was significantly higher than in controls (P = 0.0285).

Conclusions:

• BMP-7 mRNA levels in the human prostate are androgen-dependent.
• Decreased BMP-7 expression in local recurrent prostate cancer tissues after hormonal therapy supports its androgen dependency.
• DHT significantly increases BMP-7 expression in human prostate epithelial cells.