Proliferation and phenotypic changes of stromal cells in response to varying estrogen/androgen levels in castrated rats.
It is known that human benign prostatic hyperplasia might arise from an estrogen/androgen (E/T) imbalance. We studied the response of castrated rat prostate to different ratios of circulating E/T. The castrated male Wistar rats were randomly injected with E/T at different ratios for 4 weeks. The prostates of E/T (1:100) group showed a distinct prostatic hyperplasia response by prostatic index, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA). In this group, cells positive for Vimentin, non-muscle myosin heavy chain (NMMHC) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) increased in the stroma and epithelium. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC) and NMMHC increased. So E/T at a ratio of 1:100 can induce a stromal hyperplastic response in the prostate of castrated rats. The main change observed was an increase of smooth muscle cells, whereas some epithelial changes were also seen in the rat prostates.
Zhou
Ying
Y
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Bioactive Materials Key Lab of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
Xiao
Xiang-Qian
XQ
Chen
Lin-Feng
LF
Yang
Rui
R
Shi
Jian-Dang
JD
Du
Xiao-Ling
XL
Klocker
Helmut
H
Park
Irwin
I
Lee
Chung
C
Zhang
Ju
J
D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009919:Orchiectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D009124:Muscle Proteins; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol