Scientists unlock workings of the prostate gland

The York University team behind the investigation successfully uncovered the underlying mechanism behind the development of the gland after studying human prostate tissue.

During the study, the team 
discovered a set of signals which tell proteins inside stem cells 
how to evolve into prostate tissue cells.

They found there are 80 genes involved in this process, and the main signals responsible for the activation and regulation of this system are retinoic acid – a chemical made from vitamin A which is supplied in diets by carrots, green vegetables and liver – and male sex hormones.

The balance of retinoic acid and male sex hormones involved in the process is highly regulated in a normal prostate gland. But the balance is disrupted in prostate cancer, where the level of male sex hormones is increased.

The study published in Stem Cell Reports was funded by the charity Yorkshire Cancer Research (YCR) with further support from the EU FP7 Marie Curie ITN PRO-NEST project.

Prof Norman Maitland, director of the YCR Cancer Research Unit at the university’s biology department, said: “The prostate gland is lined with specialised cells which make up the epithelium.

“Diseases that affect this lining are common in the prostate, but until now, very little has been known about the mechanisms which regulate prostate tissue.

“The 80 genes and the signalling mechanisms described by the team all provide potential targets for new therapies, which could be used to combat common prostate diseases, including prostate cancer.

“Further, comparative analysis across more than 20,000 patient samples has also shown that similar mechanisms may be used in a wide variety of human tissues.”

Prof Maitland and his team are the first to identify the role of retinoic acid in the development of prostate cells. Last year, they discovered that treatments affecting the chemical’s responses also have the potential to stop the spread of cancer.