Vitamin D analogue EB1089-induced prostate regression is associated with increased gene expression of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins

Vitamin D analogues have an antiproliferative effect on prostate cancer cells in vitro and thus have been proposed as candidates for chemoprevention of prostate cancer. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I has been shown to protect cells from apoptosis and plays an essential role in normal prostate physiology. We have studied the effects of the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 analogue EB1089 on the IGF system in the prostate in vivo. Treatment of rats with EB1089 for 14 days caused a 25% decrease in ventral prostate weight. Apoptosis was detected in prostate sections of EB1089-treated rats by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and histologic examination of hematoxylin/ eosin stained tissue sections indicated that secretory epithelial cells were flattened, a characteristic of cells undergoing pressure-induced atrophy. Ventral prostate regression was associated with 15- to 25-fold increases in gene expression of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs)-2,-3,-4 and -5. We also observed a 40-fold increase in prostatic TGF-I mRNA levels in response to EB1089. Although we have previously shown that castration of rats leads to upregulation of IGFBPs in the ventral prostate, EB1089 treatment had no effect on serum levels of dihydrotestosterone or free testosterone. These results suggest that prostate regression induced by EB1089 may be related to alterations in availability of IGF-I as a result of increased production of IGFBPs.