Molecular Profile and Clinical Associations of Androgen Receptor Coactivators and Structural Genes in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Metabolic Syndrome
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in older men and represents a major contributor to lower urinary tract symptoms, prostate enlargement, and features of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Androgen receptor (AR) signaling and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling play central roles in BPH pathology, yet the clinical relevance of AR coactivators and structural genes remains incompletely understood. <b>Methods</b>: Prostate tissues from 76 BPH patients and five non-hyperplastic controls were analyzed by quantitative PCR to assess AR coactivators (<i>SRC-1</i>, <i>SRC-2</i>, <i>SRC-3</i>, <i>PCAF</i>, <i>p300</i>) and ECM-related genes (<i>COL1A1</i>, <i>COL3A1</i>). <b>Results</b>: BPH tissues showed marked overexpression of AR coactivators and collagen genes compared to controls (fold changes ≥ 7.8). Higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (≥10 ng/mL) and enlarged prostate volumes (≥100 mL) were associated with increased expression of <i>PCAF</i>, <i>p300</i>, <i>SRC-1</i>, and <i>COL1A1</i>. PSA and prostate volume correlated positively with triglycerides and VLDL, and inversely with HDL. Strong associations between collagen genes and p160 coactivators suggest coordinated androgenic and stromal remodeling activity. <i>COL1A1</i> expression was reduced in patients under pharmacological treatment, particularly with alpha-blockers or combination therapies. <i>PCAF</i> and <i>p300</i> were elevated in patients with MetS, hyperlipidemia, or hyperglycemia. <b>Conclusions</b>: These findings define a molecular signature in BPH linking androgenic, metabolic, and stromal pathology. <i>SRC-1</i>, <i>PCAF</i>, <i>p300</i>, and <i>COL1A1</i> emerge as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms of BPH progression.
Authors
- Iran Amorim Silva
- Ruan Pimenta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3423-5647)
- Miguel Srougi
- Karina Serafim da Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4854-9302)
- Vanessa Ribeiro Guimarães (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3021-722X)
- Patrícia Candido (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5887-5617)
- Kátia Ramos Moreira Leite (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2615-7730)
- Sabrina T. Reis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3564-3597)
- Alberto A. Antunes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7520-8453)
- Pedro Henrique Souza Brito (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6853-0225)
- William C. Nahas
- Gabriel Arantes dos Santos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1602-9193)
- Fernando Cotait Maluf (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4288-9018)
- Giovana Vilas Boas Caetano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4106-277X)
Institutions
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (BR)
- Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (BR)
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (BR)
- Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Biomedicines
- Published
- 2025-11-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13122896
- Primary Topic
- Urinary Bladder and Prostate Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00