Delta-Like 1 (Dlk-1), a Novel Marker of Prostate Basal and Candidate Epithelial Stem Cells, Is Downregulated by Notch Signalling in Intermediate/Transit Amplifying Cells of the Human Prostate.
Författare
Summary, in English
BACKGROUND: There is a lack of understanding of the processes that regulate differentiation in the prostate. OBJECTIVE: To determine localisation, activity, and regulation of cytodifferentiation-modulatory proteins in the human adult prostate. DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen volunteering patients with organ-confined prostate cancer were prospectively enrolled at a single university hospital. INTERVENTION: All patients underwent radical prostatectomy, and normal/benign tissue was excised and obtained from the transition zone. MEASUREMENTS: Expression and activity of Notch-protein family members, including the Notch-homologous protein Delta-like 1 (Dlk-1/Pref1), were investigated immunohistochemically in normal/benign tissue and explant cultures. The effect of the Notch inhibitor L-685,458 on Dlk-1 expression and cell number was investigated in primary cell cultures, and data were analysed with Student t test. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Mature luminal cells were found to co-express Notch-1 and its ligand Jagged1, but epithelia in normal/benign tissue showed no active Notch signalling. The basal cell layer, rare candidate epithelial stem cells, and a subpopulation of neuroendocrine cells expressed the differentiation protein Dlk-1. In explant cultures, luminal cells and Jagged1 expression were lost, whereas intermediate cells downregulated Dlk-1 concomitant with Notch-1 upregulation and activation. Notch inhibition in primary cell cultures led to lower cell densities (p<0.001) and suppressed downregulation of Dlk-1. This is a small study; current results need to be confirmed in larger investigations. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that Notch-1 is upregulated in differentiation of prostate epithelia, and that the novel prostate progenitor marker Dlk-1 is downregulated by Notch signalling in intermediate cells. The identification of Dlk-1-expressing candidate stem and neuroendocrine cells suggests a hierarchical relationship.
Avdelning/ar
- Urological research, Malmö
- Enheten för psykiatrisk neuromodulering (PNU)
- Patologi, Malmö
Publiceringsår
2008
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
1344-1353
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
European Urology
Volym
54
Länkar
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
Elsevier
Ämne
- Urology and Nephrology
Status
Published
Forskningsgrupp
- Urological research, Malmö
- Psychiatric Neuromodulation Unit (PNU)
- Pathology, Malmö
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 1873-7560