- OVERALL The mission of this Developmental Center is to build new and innovative data and biospecimens resources to allow an expanded investigation of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and treatment resistance for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Specifically, this Center proposes to convert the raw resources obtained through the Medical Treatment of Prostatic Symptoms (MTOPS) to enable the research community to investigate gene expression profiles of LUTS/BPH. MTOPS was a prospective, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial to test the efficacy of an ?-blocker (doxazosin), a 5ARI (finasteride), or the combination, in preventing BPH progression. While the major findings from the MTOPS trial were published years ago, the data and prostate tissue specimens collected at baseline and at follow-up have for the most part remained unused. We have NIDDK approval to extract RNA from prostate tissue samples collected at baseline and after treatment in a nested case-control study within MTOPS. From these samples, we will develop prostate tissue gene expression libraries with linked patient and clinical data. Then, we propose to disseminate these databases to the research community. With this resource, investigators will be able to ask whether specific pathways are differentially expressed in men with BPH or who become resistant to BPH treatment. We envision that this resource will open the doors for investigators, including junior investigators, to efficiently test new ideas using a common platform, leading to a breakthrough in our understanding of BPH pathophysiology. The Administrative Core provides management structure for the Center, oversees all travel related to the center, and provides oversight to all activities in the research project, including tissue acquisition, coordination with the University of Colorado and NIDDK, IRB compliance, and strategic oversight. A scientific advisory board provides experienced guidance as the Center implements research aims to maximize the impact of the research program. The Educational Enrichment Program will support undergraduate students, fellows, and graduate students with coursework and a hands-on experience in analyzing gene expression data. The Center will maintain a web-site to communicate with the community, and hold an annual retreat to maximize the interaction between benign disease researchers at Vanderbilt and the wider scientific community. Speakers relevant to the work of the center, and ideally with placement in other comparable Centers, will be invited to speak and interact at the retreat. These efforts will lay the groundwork for a larger Center proposal applying large-data analysis approaches to BPH in the future.
? OVERALL Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a major public health issue with significant morbidity and associated public healthcare costs. This Center will create a new resource to provide investigates access to prostate tissue gene expression profiles from MTOPS. Resources generated in this center will also help accelerate collaborative BPH research across the country.
