Constant expression of cyclooxygenase-2 gene in prostate and the lower urinary tract of estrogen-treated male rats

: Luo C, Strauss L, Ristimaki A, Streng T, Santti R

Publisher: VERLAG Z NATURFORSCH

: 2001

Zeitschrift fur naturforschung section c: a journal of biosciences

ZEITSCHRIFT FUR NATURFORSCHUNG C-A JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCES

: Z NATURFORSCH C

: 56

: 5-6

: 455

: 463

: 9

: 0939-5075

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (E. C. 1.14.99.1) in prostate and the lower urinary tract (LUT) of the neonatally estrogenized male rat has been studied by using a COX-2's PCR fragment of 724 nt spanning 3 introns and a 478nt internal standard for quantitative RT-PCR. The same fragment of 724 nt was used for RNA probe in Northern hybridization. Neonatal estrogenization (10 mug/day of diethylstilbestrol on days 1-5) had no effect on COX-2 expression in prostatic urethra, prostatic lobes. or bladder. Acute estrogen treatment of castrated animals did not induce COX-2 expression. either. In addition the differential expression of basal level of COX-2 in the different lobes of prostate in normal rat was demonstrated. Our results suggest a constant expression of COX-2 gene in prostate and the lower urinary tract of the neonatally estrogenized (neoDES) rats. The present study indicates that the increased expression of COX-2 is probably not essential for the estrogen-driven development of stromal inflammation or hyperplastic and dysplastic alterations in the prostate of neoDES rats.