Oxidative stress and TGF-beta1: triggers of premature senescence in adult human prostate fibroblasts?





R. Gander, G. Untergasser, H. Rumpold, E. Plas, L. Tadic, P. Berger

Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, Department of Endocrinology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Rennweg 10, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria



Previous reports emphasize that oxidative stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS) of human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs) is mainly triggered by transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-b1). In the human prostate TGF-b1 mediates the differentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts within a gradual process leading to a reactive stroma that favours epithelial cell tumorigenesis. In this study, we wanted to elucidate the role of oxidative stress via in vitro application of tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) and recombiant TGF-b1 on proliferation, differentiation and senescence of primary isolated human prostatic stromal fibroblasts (PrSC). SIPS was evaluated by SA-beta-galactosidase (SA-b-gal) staining after 3 days of TGF-b1 and t-BHP treatment. Moreover, stromal differentiation markers (SMC-a-actin, calponin, vimentin, JM-27), cell cycle regulators (p53, p27KIP1, p21Cip1, p16ink4A, p15ink4B, Id-1) and senescence associated genes (IGFBP-3, dkk3, PTHrP) were evaluated by quantitative PCR, western blot analysis and immunofluorescence. Neither TGF-b1 nor t-BHP treatment significantly induced SA-b-gal, p16inK4A or a terminal irreversible growth arrest in PrSC. t-BHP led to a loss of proliferative activity, induction of p21Cip1, but no signs of differentiation into myofibroblast. In contrast, TGF-b1 stimulation was responsible for growth arrest by induction of p15ink4B and IGFBP-3 as well as down-regulation of Id-1, and induced differentiation into myofibroblasts by increased expression levels of calponin, SMC-a-actin tenascin and JM-27.

Conclusive, oxidative stress did not support transdifferentiation of PrSC and thus tissue-remodelling in favour to reactive stroma. Moreover, TGF-b1, a presumable executor molecule of oxidative stress, acted completly distinct by supporting myofibroblast differentiation, reactive stroma and expression of the benign prostatic hyperplasia marker JM-27 in PrSC.



Key words: cellular senescence, oxidative stress, TGF-beta, prostate fibroblasts







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