Suppression of DNA synthesis and induction of apoptosis in rat prostate by human seminal plasma inhibin (HSPI).

In vivo administration of HSPI (10.7 kDa FSH suppressing peptide of prostate) to intact adult male rats was found to suppress the basal levels of incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA of ventral and dorsolateral lobes of the prostate, in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, microscopic examination of the prostate histology of HSPI treated rats revealed a significantly increased incidence of apoptotic bodies which are indicative of cell death. In another experiment, HSPI was also found to suppress the active DNA synthesis in testosterone-induced regrowth of prostate in castrated rats. Thus HSPI can suppress the basal and stimulated DNA synthesis and also induce apoptotic cell death in rat prostate.