[Roles of endothelin and its receptors in prostate cancer].

Endothelin (ET) is a peptide released by vascular endothelial cells. Except for the potent vasoconstrictor function it plays an important physiological role in tissue differentiation and development, cell proliferation and hormone production. Investigation of the role of ET axis in a variety of tumors such as prostatic, cervical, breast carcinoma has provided evidences of its importance in cancer, recently. Data suggest that multiple functions of the ET axis have associations with mitogenesis, apoptosis inhibition, angiogenesis, and activation of proto-oncogene. The ET axis relates to invasiveness, osteoblast function, and metastatic cancer pain in advanced prostate cancer.