Basic Research - Cancer(구연) Oral Session1 / Basic Research - Cancer (Ⅰ) (O-004) Rm.201 10월 30일(수) 13:00-14:00 Estradiol stimulates cell proliferation of prostate epithelial cells through estrogen receptor 서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 생명환경과학부¹, 을지대학교 의과대학 을지병원 비뇨의학과학교실², 에이치플러스 양지병원 비뇨의학과³ 선소정¹, 문경태², 조희주³, 최재덕², 조정만², 양현원¹, 유탁근² Objectives Previous studies have shown that estrogen is also involved in cell proliferation, development, and differentiation of the prostate. It is suggested that estrogen receptors (ERs) encoded by two distinct ERα and ERβ genes can directly modulate prostatic cell growth and tumor progression. However, it is unclear whether estrogen can stimulate cell proliferation in an androgen-independent manner and that androgen can regulate ER expression. Materials & methods We treated dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 17β-estradiol (E2) in human prostatic epithelial cell line, RWPE-1 cells and examined cell proliferation and the expression of various genes related to cell proliferation. Results Two types of ER were expressed in RWPE-1 cells, indicating the ERα expression was stronger than ERβ. However, the androgen receptor (AR) was rarely expressed. Cell proliferation of RWPE-1 was increased in a DHT or E2 concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, concurrent treatment of DHT and E2 further increased cell proliferation of RWPE-1. mRNA expressions of genes related to cell proliferation and both genes of ERα and ERβ were increased in DHT and/or E2 treated RWPE-1 cells. Protein expression of ERα was also increased in DHT concentration-dependent manner. Conclusions These results suggest that DHT may stimulate cell proliferation of prostatic cells through not only AR but also ER. Increased ER expression by DHT can result in augmented cell proliferation in the condition which E2 exists. ER and E2 can be the therapeutic targets in prostatic diseases such as prostate cancer and BPH. keywords : Androgen; Estrogen receptors; Prostate cancer