Zinc in normal and pathological human prostate gland.
OBJECTIVE
This study is conducted to detect quantitatively zinc in the nuclei and cytoplasm of epithelial cells of the prostate from normal, acute prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
Prostatic tissues from normal, acute prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma were obtained from patients and processed for zinc detection using x-ray microanalysis technique. The samples were collected over a period of 2-3 years and were processed at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.


RESULTS
Zinc was increased and decreased both in the nuclei and the cytoplasm of the glandular epithelium of benign prostatic hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Although zinc was increased in the nuclei and cytoplasm of epithelial cells of acute prostatitis, it was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings might be caused by factors affecting the zinc metabolic pathway directly or through the zinc bound protein metallothionein. In addition, these findings could be used in diagnosing different prostatic pathological conditions and advancing prostatic tumors and those with similar histopathological profiles.
Bataineh
Ziad M
ZM
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan. ziad@just.edu.jo
Bani Hani
Ibrahim H
IH
Al-Alami
Jamil R
JR
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
D015032:Zinc