Prolactin and prolactin receptors are expressed and functioning in human prostate.

Prolactin is widely expressed in different tissues, and it is presumed to have both local and systemic actions. In males it is known to influence reproductive functions but the significance and mechanisms of prolactin action in male accessory reproductive tissues are poorly understood. Here we show that prolactin acts as a direct growth and differentiation factor for human prostate, as measured by changes in DNA synthesis and epithelial morphology of organ cultures. Furthermore, we report the expression in human prostate of a short prolactin receptor form in addition to the long form, based upon ligand cross-linking studies and RT-PCR analysis of mRNA expression. The highest density of prolactin receptors was detected in the secretory epithelial cells by immunohistochemistry. Finally, we report that prolactin is locally produced in human prostate epithelium, as evidenced by marked prolactin immunoreactivity in a significant portion of prostate epithelial cells, with parallel expression of prolactin mRNA in human prostate. Collectively, these data provide significant support for the existence of an autocrine/paracrine loop of prolactin in the human prostate and may shed new light on the involvement of prolactin in the etiology and progression of neoplastic growth of the prostate.

Hormone regulation of human prostate in organ culture.

We have established organ cultures of human prostate for in vitro analysis of the hormone responsiveness of prostatic carcinoma. Tissue samples were obtained from total prostatectomies for localized cancer. Normal prostate tissues with age-related hyperplastic changes were obtained from cystoprostatectomies of bladder cancer patients representing the same age group, and they wer cultivated as controls. The explants of prostates were cultured for 7 days in basal medium containing 5% dextran charcoal-treated fetal calf serum, insulin (0.08 IU/ml), and dexamethasone (10(-7) M) with or without dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (10(-7) M) or estradiol (10(-9) M). Control prostates showed involutive changes of morphology when cultured in basal medium. These changes were prevented by DHT, which also maintained a strong epithelial immunostaining for PSA (prostate specific antigen), which was used as a marker for tissue-specific functions. The concentration of PSA in the medium was high. The rate of [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA was stimulated by DHT in some cultures of control prostates, but no increase was seen in the others. Androgen stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation was consistently inhibited by the antihormone cyproterone acetate. The main morphological response of cultured control prostates to estradiol was induction of squamous metaplasia. This was associated with increased incorporation of [3H]thymidine, which was radioautographically localized to the basal layer of epithelium. Estradiol effects were counteracted by the antihormone toremifene. The expression of androgen receptor mRNA and protein in cultured control prostate was demonstrated by Northern blotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Also, the expression of estrogen receptor was demonstrated by the polymerase chain reaction analysis of total mRNA from cultured control and cancer prostate. The cultured explants of prostate cancer maintained the overall morphology of the original carcinoma. However, the presence of DHT improved the morphology of cancerous acini in all better differentiated carcinomas (3 grade I and 5 grade II), and corresponding responses to DHT were observed in the rate of DNA labeling with [3H]thymidine. In 2 of 3 grade I carcinomas, DHT increased DNA synthesis, but in grade II cancers the patterns of hormone responses were more variable. The poorly differentiated grade III prostatic carcinomas did not respond to either hormone as measured by [3H]thymidine uptake, and no hormone effects could be seen in morphology. Immunostaining for PSA differed from that in control prostates: besides cancerous acini, the surrounding stroma was also intensively stained, which suggests unpolarized and impaired secretion of PSA by the cancer cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Enhanced invasion and tumor growth of fibroblast growth factor 8b-overexpressing MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF-8) is a secreted heparin-binding protein, which has mitogenic and transforming activity. Increased expression of FGF-8 has been found in human breast cancer, and it has a potential autocrine role in its progression. Human FGF-8 is alternatively spliced to generate four protein isoforms (a, b, e, and f). Isoform b has been shown to be the most transforming. In this work, we studied the role of FGF-8b in the growth (in vitro and in vivo) of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, which proliferate in an estrogen-dependent manner. Constitutive overexpression of FGF-8b in MCF-7 cells down-regulated FGF-8b-binding receptors FGF receptor (FGFR) 1IIIc, FGFR2IIIc, and FGFR4 found to be expressed in these cells. FGF-8b overexpression led to an increase in the anchorage-independent proliferation rate in suspension culture and colony formation in soft agar, when MCF-7 cells were cultured with or without estradiol. FGF-8b also provided an additional growth advantage for cells stimulated with estradiol. In addition, FGF-8b-transfected cells invaded more actively through Matrigel than did control cells. This was possibly due to the increased secretion of matrix metalloproteinase 9. In vivo, FGF-8b-transfected MCF-7 cells formed faster growing tumors than vector-only-transfected cells when xenografted into nude mice. The tumors formed by FGF-8b-transfected cells were more vascular than the tumors formed by vector-only-transfected cells. In conclusion, FGF-8b expression confers a growth advantage to MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells, both in vitro and in vivo. In addition to stimulation of proliferation, this growth advantage probably arises from increased invasion and tumor vascularization induced by FGF-8b. The results suggest that FGF-8b signaling may be an important factor in the regulation of tumorigenesis and progression of human breast cancer.

FGF-8b increases angiogenic capacity and tumor growth of androgen-regulated S115 breast cancer cells.

Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF-8) is a secreted heparin-binding protein, which has transforming potential. Alternative splicing of the mouse Fgf-8 gene potentially codes for eight protein isoforms (a-h) which differ in their transforming capacity in transfected cells. S115 mouse mammary tumor cells express a transformed phenotype and secrete FGF-8 in an androgen-dependent manner. In order to study the role of FGF-8 isoforms in the induction of transformed phenotype of breast cancer cells, we over-expressed FGF-8 isoforms a, b and e in S115 cells. Over-expression of FGF-8b, but not FGF-8a or FGF-8e, induced androgen and anchorage independent growth of S115 cells. FGF-8b-transfected S115 cells formed rapidly growing tumors with increased vascularization when injected s.c. into nude mice. FGF-8a also slightly increased tumor growth and probably tumor vascularization but FGF-8e was not found to have any effects. The angiogenic activity of FGF-8b and heparin-binding growth factor fraction (HBGF) of S115 cell conditioned media was tested in in vitro and in vivo models for angiogenesis using immortomouse brain capillary endothelial cells (IBEC) and chorion allantoic membrane (CAM) assays. Recombinant FGF-8b protein was able to stimulate proliferation, migration, and vessel-like tube formation of IBECs. In addition, stimulatory effect of S115-HBGF on IBE cell proliferation was evident. A positive angiogenic response to FGF-8b was also seen in CAM assay. The results demonstrate that the expression of Fgf-8b is able to promote vessel formation. Angiogenic capacity probably markedly contributes to the ability of FGF-8b to increase tumor growth of androgen-regulated S115 mouse breast cancer cells.

Differential regulation of carbonic anhydrase II by androgen and estrogen in dorsal and lateral prostate of the rat.

Hormone regulation of carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) was studied in rat dorsal and lateral prostate. CA II is a major soluble protein in these accessory sex glands. The immunoelectronmicroscopy showed that CA II is expressed in their epithelial cells only. For studies on hormone regulation, adult male rats were castrated for 2 or 7 days. Groups of 7-day castrates and normal rats were treated daily either with testosterone or 17-beta-estradiol for 6 days and 2-day castrates for 1 day. CA II protein was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and quantified by RIA. The levels of CA II mRNA were studied by Northern blotting and hybridization of total RNA with a 32P-labeled mouse CA II cDNA clone. Castration of the rats decreased the concentration of CA II in lateral prostate but increased in dorsal prostate. These changes were reversed in both prostatic lobes by testosterone treatment. Estrogen treatment of castrated rats enhanced CA II concentration in lateral prostate but no effects were seen in the dorsal prostate of the same animals. In normal rats estrogen increased CA II concentration of dorsal prostate but there was no change in lateral prostate. Corresponding changes were observed in the levels of CA II mRNA in both tissues. The morphometric analyses showed that the castration- and hormone-induced changes of the mRNA and protein levels of the exclusively epithelial CA II could not be explained by any alterations in the proportions of epithelial and stromal components of the glands after hormone manipulations. The results demonstrate the differential steroid regulation of CAII in two prostatic lobes. Androgen regulates the expression of CAII at messenger RNA level, but the responses of CAII to testosterone are opposite in dorsal and lateral prostate. Estrogen increases CA II expression in lateral prostate but in dorsal prostate the castration-like effects of estrogen on CAII expression are probably indirect.

Androgen and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) regulation of FGF receptors in S115 mouse mammary tumor cells.

We studied the androgen regulation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors (FGFRs) in the Shionogi 115 (S115) mouse mammary tumor cell line and its genetic variant Clone 22. In S115 cells, androgen maintains a transformed morphology, rate of proliferation, and serum and anchorage independence. Similar effects were induced by treatment of the cells with FGF-2 or a heparin-binding growth factor (HBGF) fraction prepared from the medium conditioned by the cells. The effects of androgen and FGF-2 could be partly reversed with a specific anti-FGF-2 immunoglobulin G or by suramin, which inhibits binding of FGFs to their high affinity receptors. Testosterone and FGF-2 increased the expression of FGFR-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and, to a lesser extent, FGFR-3 mRNA, but down-regulated FGFR-2 mRNA in S115 cells. No FGFR-4 mRNA was detected. FGF-2 also down-regulated the expression of syndecan-1, a heparan sulfate proteoglycan that binds FGF with low affinity. The binding of radiolabeled FGF-2 to FGFRs was lower in the cells cultured with testosterone or in the presence of the HBGFs from androgen-treated cells, presumably because of the autocrine production of FGF-like factors. In Clone 22 cells, FGFRs and syndecan-1 responded to androgen as in S115 cells, but they were less sensitive to FGF-2. Androgen or FGF-2 could not induce morphological transformation, although both stimulated proliferation. Androgen-increased proliferation was not, however, decreased by anti-FGF-2 immunoglobulin G in Clone 22 cells. These data suggest that of the HBGFs produced, FGF-2 is required in androgen induction of morphological change, whereas the effect on proliferation involves other factors as well (perhaps mostly FGF-8). The results show that androgen differentially regulates the expression of the high and low affinity FGF receptors, which could mediate androgen induction of the transformed phenotype in S115 cells by an autocrine mechanism. The differential responses of the Clone 22 variant cells to androgen and FGF-2 suggest that the pathways of steroid induction of different parameters of the transformed phenotype, such as transition to fibroblastic morphology and stimulation of proliferation, are divergent.

Expression and hormone regulation of prolactin receptors in rat dorsal and lateral prostate.

We have studied the receptors that presumably mediate the biological effects of PRL in rat dorsal (DP) and lateral (LP) prostate. The PRL receptor proteins were localized to the glandular secretory epithelium of prostatic tissue by immunohistochemistry. Both the short and the long PRL receptor proteins were detected in DP and LP by Western blot analysis and cross-linking of [125I]human PRL to membrane preparations of DP and LP. Three messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for the long [1.3-1.7, 2.5, and 9.5-10 kilobases (kb)] and short (0.6-0.7, 3.0-4.6, and 10-12 kb) PRL receptors were expressed in dorsal and lateral lobes of rat prostate. Testosterone (T), estrogen (E), and PRL regulation of PRL receptor expression in rat DP and LP was studied in organ culture, which has been shown to be a suitable model to study hormone responses of prostatic tissue in vitro. The mRNAs of the short and long PRL receptors were differentially regulated in rat dorsolateral prostate. T, E, and PRL regulated the level of the long PRL receptor mRNAs in a tissue-specific manner, whereas hormone regulation of the short PRL receptor mRNAs was only modest. Furthermore, the hormonal responses of the different mRNA splicing variants of the long PRL receptor were not all similar; T, E, and PRL each increased the expression of 1.3- to 1.7-kb and 9.5- to 10-kb transcripts in DP, but only T did so in LP, whereas no clear regulation for the 2.5-kb mRNA could be observed in either tissue. This suggests that the hormonal regulation occurs at least at the posttranscriptional level. The effects of T and E were counteracted by the antihormones cyproterone and toremifene, respectively, indicating a specific receptor-mediated manner of steroid action.

Estrogen and prolactin regulation of rat dorsal and lateral prostate in organ culture.

Besides androgens, estrogen (E) and PRL are thought to have important roles in the regulation of the growth and function of the prostate. We have established organ cultures of rat dorsolateral prostate for the analysis of the multiple hormone actions. Explants of dorsal prostate (DP) and lateral prostate (LP) were cultured in a serum-free basal medium containing insulin and corticosterone with or without the hormones studied. The viability and overall integrity of the tissues were maintained for at least 14 days. The morphology of the explants showed castration-like changes in the basal medium, but the addition of testosterone (T) prevented them. Androgen receptors in the prostate cultured with T were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. When the explants were grown with E the epithelium became stratified, and the cells were flat. The epithelium was also layered when the explants were grown with PRL, but the epithelial cells were hypersecretory and large. The glandular morphology of the cultured prostate was, however, best preserved if T was added along with E or PRL. The wet weights and DNA contents of the explants declined during the culture, but they were better maintained if T, E, or PRL were added to the medium. The rate of DNA labeling with [3H]thymidine was activated in the cultured explants, but it was higher in those grown with T, E, or PRL than in those grown in the basal medium. The tissue specific functions were evaluated by measuring the expression of the genes RWB and M-40.3 encoding androgen-regulated secretory proteins. The steady state levels of RWB and M-40.3 mRNA were low in the explants grown in the basal medium but in the presence of T they were high. E and PRL also increased the expression of RWB and M-40.3 messenger RNA, although the responses in DP and LP were somewhat different. The antihormones cyproterone and toremifene opposed the increase of M-40.3 messenger RNA by T and E, respectively. The results show that the cultured DP and LP of the rat maintain the androgen responsiveness and tissue-specific functions in vitro. In addition, E and PRL have androgen-independent, direct effects in them. Rat dorsolateral prostate in culture thus provides a useful model for the studies on the mechanisms of hormone regulation of the prostate.

Vascular endothelial growth factors are differentially regulated by steroid hormones and antiestrogens in breast cancer cells.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major inducer of tumor angiogenesis and an important prognostic factor in breast cancer. Hypoxia is an important inducer of VEGF expression but less is known of the role of hormones in VEGF regulation. We have studied the regulation of VEGF, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D mRNAs in human MCF-7 and mouse S115 breast carcinoma cells stimulated by estrogens and androgens, respectively. VEGF, VEGF-B, and VEGF-C were expressed in both cell lines, whereas VEGF-D was expressed only in S115 cells. Addition of estradiol (E2) caused a biphasic increase of VEGF mRNA in MCF-7 cells and led to accumulation of the VEGF protein in the culture medium. The VEGF-B mRNA was not affected, while a decrease occurred in VEGF-C mRNA. Similarly, testosterone upregulated the expression of VEGF mRNA in the S115 cells. Experiments with actinomycin D and cycloheximide suggested that estrogen induction of VEGF mRNA is dependent on the synthesis of new mRNA and increased mRNA half-life. The antiestrogen ICI 182.780 inhibited E2 stimulation of VEGF, suggesting that the effect was mediated by the estrogen receptor. In contrast, the antiestrogens tamoxifen and toremifene which inhibit MCF-7 cell growth in vivo and in vitro did not inhibit estrogen effect but induced VEGF mRNA expression when used alone. The antiandrogen cyprosterone acetate inhibited T induction of VEGF mRNA in S115 cells, thus suggesting that activation of androgen receptor must be involved in the increase of VEGF mRNA. Our results suggest that both estrogen and androgen stimulate the expression of VEGF by increasing gene transcription and mRNA stability. In addition, the antiestrogens tamoxifen and toremifene also increased VEGF expression. Estrogen and androgen induction of VEGF expression and promotion of new vessel formation may be an important paracrine mechanism by which these hormones contribute to the early phase of tumor growth of hormonal cancer.

Expression of the androgen-dependent MMTV-specific orf gene in Shionogi 115 mouse mammary tumor cells.

The Shionogi 115 (S115) mouse mammary tumor cells express the MMTV-specific 1.7 kb mRNA (orf) at a high level in the presence of androgens. In lymphoid cells the orf-gene encodes a superantigen which has an important role in establishing self-tolerance but in mammary and breast cancer cells the function of the orf gene is unclear. In the present work we studied the expression of the S115 mammary tumor cell orf sequence and its role in the androgen regulated growth of S115 cells. The cloning and sequencing of the cDNA specific for the 1.7 kb mRNA from the S115 mouse mammary tumor cells revealed a 990 bp DNA sequence with a 99.8% homology to the Mtv-17 proviral strain. There was a difference of only one amino acid (isoleu-tyr) in the coding region. A peptide was synthesized according to the hypervariable C-terminal part of the predicted protein and used to raise a rabbit antiserum. The anti-S115-orf antiserum immunoprecipitated an approximately 45 kDa protein from the metabolically labeled S115 cell lysates. In order to analyze the putative functions of the protein, the orf-sequence was linked to MoMLV-LTR and to the human ss-actin promoter in the mammalian expression vectors pLTRpoly and pHssAPr-1-neo, respectively, and transfected into NIH3T3 and S115 cells. NIH3T3 transfectants expressing orf mRNA did not show a transformed phenotype in vitro. The S115 orf transfectants proliferated somewhat more slowly than the vector transfected control cells in cell culture, both in the presence or absence of androgen, but there was no obvious change in the phenotype of S115 cells or in expression of the fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF-8). This factor is activated by Mtv-6 integration and mediates androgen effects in these cells. Unexpectedly, however, the formation of tumors by S115 orf cells in nude mice was considerably prolonged and tumor growth retarded when compared with vector transfected control or parent S115 cells. The results suggest that MMTV-orf can be functional in breast cancer cells but the mechanism of the growth repressive effect in mammary tumor remains to be analyzed.

Activation of Fgf8 in S115 mouse mammary tumor cells is associated with genomic integration of mouse mammary tumor virus.

Fgf8 is an embryonally expressed mitogenic fibroblast growth factor which has transforming capacity. It is expressed in S115 mouse mammary tumor cells (S115 cells) and in parental tumors of DD/Sio mice as well as in some human breast and prostate cancer cell lines. In S115 cells androgens induce the expression of Fgf8 which seems to be associated with the androgen-maintained malignant phenotype of the cells. S115 cells also contain and express Mtv proviruses known to insertionally activate oncogenes in other tumor cells. Here we studied the possibility of insertional activation of Fgf8 in S115 cells by MMTV proviral integration. We demonstrate by Southern blotting that the genomic DNA from DD/Sio tumors and S115 cells contains Mtv-sequences (Mtv-6 and Mtv-17) which are not found in the DNA from spleen or liver of the DD/Sio mice. In addition, the newly integrated Mtv-6 was localized to the DNA fragment containing the Fgf8 gene. Furthermore, the expression of Fgf8 mRNA in DD/Sio tumors and S115 cells was not found in mammary gland or spleen and liver of DD/Sio mice. In S115 cells, Fgf8 mRNA expression was induced in parallel to MMTV mRNA by androgen and glucocorticoids which supports the possibility that Fgf8 is controlled by the steroid-regulated MMTV-LTR. In conclusion, our data provide evidence that the insertion of MMTV into the DD/Sio tumor DNA is associated with the transcriptional activation of Fgf8 in DD/Sio tumor and consequently in S115 mouse mammary tumor cells.

Temperature-sensitive mutants for steroid-sensitive growth of S115 mouse mammary tumor cells.

We have generated temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants for steroid-regulated anchorage-independent cell growth. Androgen-responsive S115+A mouse mammary tumor cells were mutagenized with ethyl methane sulfonate and the variants which were growth-arrested in suspension at the nonpermissive temperature of 41 degrees C were selected by killing dividing wild-type cells with the DNA synthesis inhibitors 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine or cytosine arabinoside. Fifteen clones were isolated and characterized for morphology and growth properties. Three (ts21, ts27, ts33) of the phenotypic variants were ts for androgen-maintained anchorage-independent growth, two of them (ts27 and ts33) also for growth in monolayer. Growth arrest at 41 degrees C was not due to a defect in androgen receptor function in any of the mutant cell lines as shown by steroid binding assays and by the androgen-stimulated expression of both endogenous MMTV RNA and the transiently transfected LTR-CAT gene at the nonpermissive temperature. It remains to be determined for clone ts33 whether the defect is in postreceptor events of steroid action or in genes affecting general mechanisms of cell growth. However, since in clones ts21 and ts27 general cell growth remains functional at 41 degrees C under serum stimulation, defects may be in postreceptor steroid-related pathways. It is hoped that these mutants will provide a useful tool for study of steroid regulation of cell growth and in particular of the property of anchorage-independent growth.

Androgen-dependent expression of prolactin in rat prostate epithelium in vivo and in organ culture.

Peptide hormones and growth factors are involved in the regulation of prostatic cell proliferation, differentiation, and programmed cell death, which functions are primarily controlled by androgen. In carcinogenesis, prostatic cancer cells often lose androgen dependence and become largely dependent on local growth factors. The prostatic cancer cells able to respond to factors other than androgen by proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis are possibly able to survive. We demonstrate that prostatic epithelium expresses prolactin mRNA and protein in a characteristic manner. By using in situ hybridization, an overall distribution of prolactin mRNA was demonstrated in the epithelium of rat dorsal and lateral prostate, whereas a very specific localization of prolactin protein to single cells was observed by immunohistochemistry in the same tissues. In these cells, immunoelectron microscopy showed that prolactin was primarily localized to the secretory granules. These data demonstrate a selective regulation of prostatic prolactin at least at the level of transcript processing/translation and/or protein accumulation and secretion. In addition, the expression of prolactin protein in rat dorsal and lateral prostate was found to be androgen dependent in vivo in castrated and in castrated, testosterone-treated rats, as well as in vitro in organ cultures. Our results support the concept of an autocrine/paracrine loop of prolactin action in prostate where it could mediate some of androgen actions. Also, locally synthesized prolactin might belong to the factors that take over androgen regulation of prostatic cancer cells during the development of androgen-independent growth.

Increased expression of FGF-8 isoforms and FGF receptors in human premalignant prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions and prostate cancer.

SUMMARY: Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF-8) is implicated in growth of prostate cancer. Alternative splicing of the human FGF-8 gene potentially allows coding for four protein isoforms (a, b, e, and f). These isoforms differ in their binding to FGF receptors (FGFR) and in their mitogenic and transforming capacity in transfection assays. Here, we used RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry to study the expression of FGF-8 and FGFR isoforms in human prostate cancer (n = 31). Nonmalignant prostate specimens from cystoprostatectomies (n = 24) were examined as controls. Most prostate cancer samples and some control prostates also contained prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) lesions. FGF-8a and e were expressed at significantly higher frequencies in prostate cancer (FGF-8a, 55%; FGF-8e, 45%) than in control samples (FGF-8a, 17%, p = 0.0052; FGF-8e, 8%, p = 0.0031). On the contrary, FGF-8b was found at an equal frequency in prostate cancer (55%) and in control prostates (50%). Furthermore, a combination of two or three FGF-8 isoforms (a, b, and/or e) was also expressed at a higher frequency in prostate cancer than in control samples (45% and 8%, respectively, p = 0.0031). Immunohistochemistry with an antibody recognizing all FGF-8 isoforms was more strongly immunoreactive in prostate cancer cells and PIN lesions than in normal-type epithelium. The receptor splicing variants FGFR1IIIc and FGFR2IIIc, which are activated by FGF-8, were found both in prostate cancer and control samples. Interestingly, immunoreactivity for FGFR1 and FGFR2 was much stronger in prostate cancer cells and PIN than in normal epithelium. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that FGF-8 isoforms and their receptors FGFR1IIIc and FGFR2IIIc are expressed at an increased level not only in prostate cancer but also in premalignant PIN lesions. These data suggest that FGF-8 may have an important autocrine role in the development of human prostate cancer. In addition to FGF-8b, the FGF-8 isoforms a and e may be involved in this process.