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Differential effects of dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone in prostate and colon cancer cell apoptosis: the role of nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors.

Abstract
Tumor growth is fostered by inhibition of cell death, which involves the receptiveness of tumor to growth factors and hormones. We have recently shown that testosterone exerts proapoptotic effects in prostate and colon cancer cells through a membrane-initiated mechanism. In addition, we have recently reported that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) can control cell fate, activating nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors, namely tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk)A and p75 neurotrophin receptor, in primary neurons and in PC12 tumoral cells. NGF was recently involved in cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. In the present study, we explored the cross talk between androgens (testosterone and DHEA) and NGF in regulating apoptosis of prostate and colon cancer cells. DHEA and NGF strongly blunted serum deprivation-induced apoptosis, whereas testosterone induced apoptosis of both cancer cell lines. The antiapoptotic effect of both DHEA and NGF was completely reversed by testosterone. In line with this, DHEA or NGF up-regulated, whereas testosterone down-regulated, the expression of TrkA receptor. The effects of androgens were abolished in both cell lines in the presence of TrkA inhibitor. DHEA induced the phosphorylation of TrkA and the interaction of p75 neurotrophin receptor with its effectors, Rho protein GDP dissociation inhibitor and receptor interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 2. Conversely, testosterone was unable to activate both receptors. Testosterone acted as a DHEA and NGF antagonist, by blocking the activation of both receptors by DHEA or NGF. Our findings suggest that androgens may influence hormone-sensitive tumor cells via their cross talk with NGF receptors. The interplay between steroid hormone and neurotrophins signaling in hormone-dependent tumors offers new insights in the pathophysiology of these neoplasias.
AuthorsVasileia Anagnostopoulou, Iosif Pediaditakis, Saad Alkahtani, Saud A Alarifi, Eva-Maria Schmidt, Florian Lang, Achille Gravanis, Ioannis Charalampopoulos, Christos Stournaras
JournalEndocrinology (Endocrinology) Vol. 154 Issue 7 Pg. 2446-56 (Jul 2013) ISSN: 1945-7170 [Electronic] United States
PMID23696568 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References
  • Nerve Growth Factors
  • Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor
  • Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor
  • Testosterone
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone
  • Nerve Growth Factor
Topics
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis (drug effects)
  • Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
  • Colonic Neoplasms (metabolism)
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone (pharmacology)
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nerve Growth Factor (pharmacology)
  • Nerve Growth Factors (genetics, metabolism)
  • PC12 Cells
  • Prostatic Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism)
  • Rats
  • Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor (genetics, metabolism)
  • Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor (genetics, metabolism)
  • Signal Transduction (drug effects)
  • Testosterone (pharmacology)
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

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