Selected Grantee Publications

Prostatic Escherichia coli Infection Drives CCR2-Dependent Recruitment of Fibrocytes and Collagen Production

Scharpf et al., Disease Models & Mechanisms. 2025.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11789281

In men, lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) is commonly linked to prostatic collagen accumulation through inflammation-mediated mechanisms. Researchers used 8- to 10-week-old male reporter mice, exposed to either sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or Escherichia coli, to identify that circulating Lyz2⁺S100a4⁺Gli1⁺ myeloid-derived cells are recruited to the prostate to drive inflammation and collagen synthesis. Researchers also used 8- to 10-week-old male Ccr2^‑/ - null and Ccr2^+/- control mice, exposed to either sterile PBS or E. coli, to determine if Ccr2 is necessary for the fibrotic response to prostatic uropathogen infection. Results demonstrated that CCR2⁺ cells mediate the collagen abundance and fibrotic response to prostate inflammation. This study elucidates the cell types underlying prostate fibrosis and can be utilized to develop targeted therapies. Supported by ORIP (T32OD010957), NCI, NIDDK, and NIEHS.