391 Upregulation of Phosphodiesterase Type 4 in the Hyperplastic Prostate

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)/Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) is a common disease worldwide in aging males. The phosphodiesterase (PDE) families have 11 members currently known with PDE4 and PDE5 proved to be of pharmacological importance. As the first oral effective drugs for erectile dysfunction (ED) , PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5-Is) were also approved in USA and European countries to treat BPH/LUTS, with or without ED. The presence of PDE4 in the transition zone of the human prostate has been reported, indicating PDE4 may play a vital role in the regulation of normal function of the prostate and could be a new potential target for the treatment of BPH/LUTS. The aim of present study was to investigate the expression and localization of PDE4 in hyperplastic prostate. A rat model of BPH was established by subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate (2 mg/d) + estrogen (0.02 mg/d) for 28 days. Human prostate specimens were collected during cystoprostatectomy. PDE4, cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and α1-adrenoreceptor subtypes (α1aAR, α1bAR, α1dAR) in rat and human prostate were detected with Real-time PCR. PDE4 was further analyzed with Western-blot and histological examination both in the prostate of rat and human.