Kashani M, Steiner G, Haitel A, Schaufler K, Thalhammer T, Amann G, Kramer G, Marberger M, Schöller A
Department of Urology, University of Vienna, Austria.
Prostate. 1998 Oct 1;37(2):98-108. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0045(19981001)37:2<98::aid-pros6>3.0.co;2-h.
Androgen-dependent tissue has been reported to be affected by chemical ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor, which heterodimerizes with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator protein (ARNT).
Fetal (n = 3), benign hyperplastic (BPH) (n = 10), and carcinomatous (CaP) (n = 19) prostate tissues were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Western blot analysis was used to confirm the identity of the recognized proteins.
Immunoblotting of enriched prostatic epithelial cells (EC) and stromal cells revealed constitutive expression of bands at around 110 kDa and 90 kDa, using anti-AhR and anti-ARNT, respectively. Immunohistology of the fetal specimens revealed heterogeneous cytoplasmic and nuclear AhR expression of immature EC and mesenchymal cells. Constitutive expression of AhR (primarily cytoplasmic) and ARNT (nuclear and cytoplasmic) by the majority of adult basal and secretory EC, CaP, and smooth muscle cells was confirmed in situ. The most intense anti-AhR/-ARNT reactivity was found on smooth muscle cells, followed by EC and fibrocytes. Secretory BPH-EC revealed significantly decreased AhR expression when compared to normal tissue segments. By contrast, anti-AhR reactivity was frequently increased in the more dedifferentiated tumor areas.
These findings suggest that an undefined physiologic AhR ligand(s) as well as environmental factors may exert effects on EC and smooth muscle cells in the prostate through binding to these receptors.
据报道，雄激素依赖组织会受到芳烃受体（AhR）化学配体的影响，AhR是一种配体激活的转录因子，它与芳烃受体核转运蛋白（ARNT）形成异二聚体。
采用免疫组织化学方法分析胎儿（n = 3）、良性增生（BPH）（n = 10）和癌性（CaP）（n = 19）前列腺组织。蛋白质免疫印迹分析用于确认所识别蛋白质的身份。
分别使用抗AhR和抗ARNT对富集的前列腺上皮细胞（EC）和基质细胞进行免疫印迹分析，结果显示在约110 kDa和90 kDa处有组成性条带表达。胎儿标本的免疫组织学显示未成熟EC和间充质细胞的AhR在细胞质和细胞核中表达不均一。通过原位分析证实，大多数成年基底和分泌性EC、CaP以及平滑肌细胞组成性表达AhR（主要在细胞质中）和ARNT（在细胞核和细胞质中）。在平滑肌细胞上发现最强的抗AhR/-ARNT反应性，其次是EC和纤维细胞。与正常组织段相比，分泌性BPH-EC显示AhR表达显著降低。相比之下，在分化程度更高的肿瘤区域，抗AhR反应性经常增加。
这些发现表明，一种未明确的生理性AhR配体以及环境因素可能通过与这些受体结合，对前列腺中的EC和平滑肌细胞产生影响。
