New Prostate Cell Subtype May Explain Aging-related Enlargement
Researchers have identified a unique subtype of cells in the prostate, which might shed light on the age-related enlargement of the gland. This condition is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and it tends to affect a specific area of the prostate.
Despite its prevalence, the underlying reasons for this phenomenon remain unclear. However, a team from Johns Hopkins University has found a potential key player located near the urethra.
Using single-cell RNA sequencing technology, the researchers pinpointed an abundance of prostate cells in this area, particularly in BPH cases. Their findings have been documented in The Journal of Pathology.
“BPH affects millions of men globally, yet the reasons for its development, particularly in the transition zone of the prostate, are not fully understood,” says senior author Vasan Yegnasubramanian. This transition zone surrounds the urethra and, if it enlarges, it can obstruct the passage, leading to slower and more irregular urination.
BPH is the most common prostate issue for men over 50. While factors like hormonal changes, inflammation, and cell growth likely contribute, the exact cellular mechanisms behind BPH remain largely a mystery.
Urologist Charles Welliver, who was not part of the study, explained in a podcast that BPH is not really about swelling but rather an increase in cell numbers. “The cells don’t get bigger; there is just a rise in their quantity,” he noted.
Now, it seems scientists are getting closer to understanding which cells might be driving this increase. The team at Johns Hopkins studied noncancerous prostate tissues from ten men who had prostate cancer, carefully examining samples from the three primary zones of the prostate.
In the transition zone and BPH samples, they discovered a distinct population of basal cells, called WIF1+, that were significantly less common in other parts of the prostate. These cells are unique in their gene expression and composition compared to their counterparts.
Some genes related to these WIF1+ cells respond to hormones such as testosterone and are involved in pathways that affect prostate growth. Researchers suggest that these cells may play a role in the development of BPH by influencing the remodeling of epithelial and stromal tissues.
Moreover, the researchers believe that these cells might mitigate inflammation and engage in a signaling pathway known as WNT, possibly explaining why prostate cancer is less frequent in the transition zone.
“This analysis revealed that these cells have molecular features tied to tissue remodeling, which could lead to prostate enlargement, and they can communicate with nearby cells, hinting at their role in shaping the transition zone,” says first author Rulin Wang.
Further analysis of publicly available datasets supported the team’s results, revealing that enlarged prostate tissues contained higher concentrations of WIF1+ basal cells, accompanied by a distinct alteration in their gene signatures.
This raises a possibility that these cells might contribute to why the transition zone is especially prone to BPH. While this hypothesis is still in its early stages, Wang and colleagues see it as an avenue worth exploring further.
Future studies might delve deeper into the roles of WIF1+ basal cells in enlarged prostate development. If these cells are indeed significant players in BPH, they could present new targets for future drug therapies.
The research has been published in The Journal of Pathology.
