Immunohistochemical analysis of low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor in the human urinary bladder.
BACKGROUND
Interest in the regulation of nerve growth factor (NGF) production in the urinary tract derives from its probable involvement in obstructive, inflammatory and developmental disorders. Our aim was to investigate the presence of low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor (LNGFR) in the vesical urothelium of patients with bladder outlet obstruction.


METHODS
The study included 20 patients with urodynamically confirmed outflow obstruction and 10 control patients without outflow obstruction. Cold cup biopsies of the posterior wall of the urinary bladder were obtained from all patients. Intensity and distribution of LNGFR in the human urinary bladder were examined immunohistochemically.


RESULTS
We detected LNGFR immunostaining in all specimens, and it was observed at the (luminal) epithelial surface and in nerve fibers. In the obstruction group, LNGFR immunoreactivity scores were higher than in the control group, but there was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of LNGFR was demonstrated in the urothelium of the human urinary bladder, and these findings show that cells in hypertrophied and normal bladder can synthesize NGF. This observation may have a potential role for therapeutic implications. However, further studies are needed for an explanation of the pathophysiology and the role in treatment.
Eryildirim
Bilal
B
Urology Clinic, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Tarhan
Fatih
F
Gül
Aylin Ege
AE
Erbay
Erkan
E
Kuyumcuoğlu
Uğur
U
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D019459:Urothelium / Q000737:chemistry*
D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor