Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues
Published on: September 8, 2015
Testosterone regulates myosin II isoforms expression and functional activity in the rat prostate
Ping Chen1, He Xiao1, Wei Huang2
1Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, P.R. China.
Background:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is mainly caused by increased prostatic smooth muscle (SM) tone and prostatic volume. At the molecular level, SM myosin II (SMM II) and non-muscle myosin II (NMM II) mediate SM tone and cell proliferation while testosterone (T) plays a permissive role in the development of BPH.
Aims:
The novel objective of this study was to elucidate the effects of T on the proliferation and apoptosis of rat prostatic cells and SM contractility as well as related regulatory signaling pathways.
Materials And Methods:
Briefly, 36 male rats were divided into three groups (sham-operated, surgically castrated, and castrated with T supplementation). In vitro organ bath studies, competitive RT-PCR, Western-blotting analysis, Masson's trichrome staining, and immunofluorescence staining were performed.
Results:
Our data showed that castration dramatically increased prostatic SM contractility and SM MHC immunostaining revealed a relatively increased SM cell numbers in the stroma. T deprivation altered prostate SMM II isoform composition with upregulation of SM-B and SM2 but downregulation of LC17a, favoring a faster more phasic-type contraction. Moreover, protein expressions of MLCK, p-MLCP, RhoB, ROCK1, and ROCK2 increased in castrated rats. Meanwhile NMM II heavy chain isoforms A, B, and C (NMMHC-A, B, and C isoforms) were altered by castration which may be linked to decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis.
Conclusion:
Our novel data demonstrated T regulates SMM II and NMM II and their functional activities in rat prostate and T ablation not only decreases prostate size (static component) but also changes the prostatic SM tone (dynamic component).
More Related Videos
08:38Renal Capsule Xenografting and Subcutaneous Pellet Implantation for the Evaluation of Prostate Carcinogenesis and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Published on: August 28, 2013
11:51Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
Published on: March 2, 2011
Related Concept Videos
Testosterone: Functions and Regulation
Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Overview of Myosin Structure and Function
Master Transcription Regulators
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps