Korean J Urol.  1997 Sep;38(9):905-911.

The Effect of A Potent Calcium Channel Blocker, Nifedipine, on the Castration-induced Apoptosis of the Rat Ventral Prostate

• Han CH
• Rhee HW
• Kang SH

Abstract

The rapid involution of the rat ventral prostate after castration is an active process initiated by removal of the inhibitory effects of androgen on prostatic cell death. The degradation of genomic DNA into nucleosomal-sized fragments if an early event in this process and is catalyzed by Ca2+Mg2+-dependent endonuclease activity which is dependent upon calcium ions. The morphologic correlation of the involution process involves a series of structural changes which are collectively referred to as apoptosis. Since the castration-induced endonuclease is dependent upon calcium ions for maximal activity, a potential involvement of a intracellular calcium in the castration-induced prostatic cell death was investigated. Acute disturbance in intracellular calcium homeostasis within the ventral prostate by means of a potent calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, simultaneous with castration resulted in a significant decrease in prostatic apoptosis. This result points to a potential role intracellular calcium levels in the mechanism of activation of castration-induced death of the androgen-dependent epithelial cells in the ventral prostate.

Keyword

Castration; Prostatic apoptosis; Calcium channel blocker

MeSH Terms

Animals
Apoptosis*
Calcium Channels*
Calcium*
Castration
Cell Death
Deoxyribonuclease I
DNA
Epithelial Cells
Homeostasis
Ions
Nifedipine*
Prostate*
Rats*
Calcium
Calcium Channels
DNA
Deoxyribonuclease I
Ions
Nifedipine