BioProject

The adult prostate gland is maintained by unipotent basal and luminal stem cells, which can become multipotent during inflammation or cancer. More...

The adult prostate gland is maintained by unipotent basal and luminal stem cells, which can become multipotent during inflammation or cancer. However, the exact adult basal stem cell is unclear. Here, we identified two basal cell populations in mouse prostates: a rare intermediate population expressing luminal markers (termed Basal-B) with a greater capacity for organoid formation and a larger basal population (termed Basal-A). Genetic lineage tracing showed that Basal-B cell represented a transient cell state during prostate homeostasis and androgen-mediated regeneration. Activated JAK/STAT signaling was identified in Basal-B cells, and its inhibition significantly reduced Basal-B markers expression. Inflammation increased Basal-B-to-luminal cell differentiation, but JAK/STAT inhibition notably attenuated this effect. Pten gene deletion increased Nkx3.1-expressing Basal-B like cell population and led to neoplasia. In humans, h-Basal-B cells were more prevalent in benign prostate hyperplasia. Our findings highlight the potential function of JAK/STAT signaling in Basal-B cell and prostate cell fates determination. Less...