Androgen depletion activates telomerase in the prostate of the nonhuman primate, Macaca mulatta

Background. The activity of telomerase, an enzyme that synthesizes telomeri c repeats at the ends of chromosomes, is not detectable in normal human Pro state. However, the majority of human prostate cancers exhibit telomerase a ctivity. Since androgens play a major role in prostate tumorigenesis, we in vestigated the effect of androgen-depletion on the expression of telomerase activity in the prostate. Methods. Adult male rhesus monkeys were either bilaterally castrated or sub jected to sham surgery (n=5 each). Approximately 6 weeks later, the animals were killed and the different regions of the prostate gland were removed a nd frozen immediately. Telomerase activity was assayed using the telomeric repeat amplification protocol. Results. All five regions of the prostate from sham operated control animal s failed to exhibit telomerase activity. In the castrated monkey, all regio ns of the prostate, except for the anterior lobe, expressed high levels of telomerase activity. Conclusions. Our results indicate that in monkeys, androgen-ablation leads to upregulation of telomerase activity. The negative-regulation of telomera se activity by androgens is probably lost during prostate tumorigenesis. Pr ostate 49: 79-89, 2001, (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.