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Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) stimulates rat prostatic epithelial cell proliferation
Author(s) -
Juarranz Maria G.,
Bodega Guillermo,
Prieto Juan C.,
Guijarro Luis G.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the prostate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.295
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1097-0045
pISSN - 0270-4137
DOI - 10.1002/pros.1073
Subject(s) - vasoactive intestinal peptide , receptor , endocrinology , medicine , pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide , neuropeptide , biology , inositol phosphate , prostate , bombesin , inositol trisphosphate , cell growth , cell culture , microbiology and biotechnology , inositol , biochemistry , genetics , cancer
BACKGROUND Androgens play a major role in supporting normal growth and functional maintenance in the prostate. However, this gland contains an array of neuroendocrine peptides that can play a regulatory role in its physiopathology. Among these peptides, one of the best studied is vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), which is abundant in autonomic nerves surrounding both human and rat prostatic acini. This neuropeptide may act through interaction with two types of high‐affinity receptors, named VPAC 1 and VPAC 2 receptors. Another regulatory peptide, the pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating peptide (PACAP), interacts with these receptors with the same affinity as VIP, but binds with higher affinity to PAC 1 receptors. Human prostate tumors and rat prostate show a major presence of VPAC 1 receptors, whereas various findings suggest a role for VIP in prostatic development. Here we studied the effects of VIP on the proliferation of rat prostatic epithelial cells in culture. METHODS We studied the [ 3 H]‐thymidine uptake by rat prostatic epithelial cells in culture, characterized previously by using biomarkers such as cytokeratin and vimentin. In these cells we tested the effect of VIP and PACAP‐27 on two different signaling pathways, the cyclic AMP (cAMP) and the inositol phosphate (IPs). RESULTS The rat prostatic cells in culture were cytokeratin (5,6,8) and vimentin positive, indicating that the culture was predominantly epithelial. The proliferation curves showed that the cells followed different states of growth: a quiescent, an exponential proliferative, and a steady state. Cyclic AMP production, but not inositol phosphate production, was increased in the presence of VIP and PACAP‐27, which suggests the expression of VPAC 1 and/or VPAC 2 receptors primarily. VIP significantly increased prostatic cell proliferation in a bimodal manner, as shown for dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP), which suggests that the effect of VIP upon prostatic proliferation is cAMP‐dependent. CONCLUSIONS Here, we demonstrate that VIP increased [ 3 H]thymidine uptake by rat prostatic epithelial cells in culture, conceivably by the activation of the adenylate cyclase. Prostate 47:285–292, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.