Androgen Depletion Augments Antibacterial Prostate Host Defenses

AMADO A. QUINTAR; CAROLINA LEIMGRUBER; PESSAH OA; CRISTINA A MALDONADO

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2012 p. 845 - 859

0105-6263

The defence of the male reproductive tract against microorganisms is critical for fertilization. The prostate gland has been reported to express several mole- cules of the innate immune system. However, little information is available about how androgens may modulate host defences within the prostate. We therefore aimed to examine in the rat the expression of the TLR4 system, which is strongly involved in pathogen recognition, and the secretion of the antibacterial substances rBD-1 and SP-D after androgen withdrawal. Immuno- blotting and immunocytochemical analysis revealed a time-dependent increase in these molecules after orchiectomy, with epithelial and stromal cells being an important source of prostatic host defence proteins. In view of this, we evalu- ated the potential improvement in antibacterial ability of the prostatic fluid from orchiectomized animals ex vivo. Only samples from rats at 5 days post- orchiectomy showed a slight inhibition of Escherichia coli growth. Finally,Escherichia coli growth. Finally, E. coli was inoculated into the ventral prostate of orchiectomized or control rats, with bacterial growth being counted at 5 days after infection. Animals with androgen depletion presented a lower bacterial count, and showed few histological signs of prostatic inflammation compared with controls. In vitro studies confirmed that isolated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated prostatic cells in the absence of testosterone increased SP-D. Moreover, media from these cells showed a higher antimicrobial activity than supernatants from testoster- one- and LPS-treated cells. Our findings indicate that testosterone maintains a reduced expression of key elements for innate immunity and diminishes the antibacterial ability of the rat prostate. These data may represent an important mechanism underlying the immunosuppressive activity of testosterone in the gland. However, this immunosuppressive function of androgens is understand- able as a means of avoiding uncontrolled immune responses against the hap- loid male gamete in the reproductive tract.was inoculated into the ventral prostate of orchiectomized or control rats, with bacterial growth being counted at 5 days after infection. Animals with androgen depletion presented a lower bacterial count, and showed few histological signs of prostatic inflammation compared with controls. In vitro studies confirmed that isolated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated prostatic cells in the absence of testosterone increased SP-D. Moreover, media from these cells showed a higher antimicrobial activity than supernatants from testoster- one- and LPS-treated cells. Our findings indicate that testosterone maintains a reduced expression of key elements for innate immunity and diminishes the antibacterial ability of the rat prostate. These data may represent an important mechanism underlying the immunosuppressive activity of testosterone in the gland. However, this immunosuppressive function of androgens is understand- able as a means of avoiding uncontrolled immune responses against the hap- loid male gamete in the reproductive tract.