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Review
. 2012;8(8):e1002801.
doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002801. Epub 2012 Aug 9.

Trichomonosis, a common curable STI, and prostate carcinogenesis--a proposed molecular mechanism

Siobhan Sutcliffe  1 , Calvin Neace, Nancy S Magnuson, Raymond Reeves, J F Alderete
Affiliations
Review

Trichomonosis, a common curable STI, and prostate carcinogenesis--a proposed molecular mechanism

Siobhan Sutcliffe et al. PLoS Pathog. 2012.
No abstract available

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Demonstration of elevated amounts of PIM1 and HMGA1 proteins in PECs after adherence by T. vaginalis (Tv).
In this experiment, trichomonads were added to T25 confluent monolayers of PECs (lane labeled+) using a parasite to PEC ratio of 10∶1. PECs without added organisms are labeled with a minus sign (−). This ratio of 10∶1 was chosen because it has been shown to yield at least one parasite attached per epithelial cell in adherence assays and to optimally signal epithelial cells for up-regulation of expression of genes , . After visible attachment to PECs, non-adherent organisms were decanted and fresh PEC medium added followed by incubation at 37°C for an additional 30 min. The flask was then placed directly in ice for detachment of organisms, after which PECs were washed and removed from the flask for preparation of total proteins for immunoblotting using established protocols, polyclonal rabbit antibodies produced in our laboratories, and equal loading of protein onto gels, as detailed previously . Under conditions of exposure of PECs with or without T. vaginalis, no change in the amount of other cellular proteins was detected, as evidenced by no changes in the amounts of Akt and Bad, and this served to show equal amounts of total proteins loaded onto gels for SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting . Prebleed rabbit serum was used as the negative control and gave no reactivity.
Figure 2
Figure 2. A working model of how chronic, latent T. vaginalis infection of prostate tissue up-regulates the signaling cascade leading to prostate carcinogenesis.
Production of IL-6 leads to transcriptional activation of the STAT3-PIM1-HMGA1 cascade. In this case induced transcriptional activation of the HMGA1 proto-oncogene contributes directly to prostate cancer progression via pathways involving COX2 and the prostate-specific membrane antigen. The inset shows a T. vaginalis organism adherent to a VEC, and the same mechanism of cytoadherence occurs for PECs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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