title: [Significance of nerve growth factor expression in the prostate tissue of spontaneously hypertensive rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the changes of the expressions of the nerve growth factor (NGF) and its mRNA in the prostate tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) of different ages and their significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  SHRs and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were killed at 1 month (young), 6 months (adult) and 12 months (aging), respectively, 5 in each group. Their prostate indexes were calculated, and the expressions of NGF and its mRNA in the ventral prostate tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prostate indexes of the SHR and WKY groups were 1.16 +/- 0.06 and 1.03 +/- 0.09 at 1 month, 1.12 +/- 0.14 and 0.93 +/- 0.07 at 6 months, and 1.11 +/- 0.05 and 0.96 +/- 0.09 at 12 months, significantly higher in the former group than in the latter either at 6 or at 12 months (P < 0.05), but with no obvious difference at 1 month (P > 0.05). The expressions of NGF and its mRNA in the ventral prostate tissue were detected in all groups, and elevated gradually with the increase of age (P < 0.05). Among those of the same age, the expression levels were markedly higher in the SHR than in the WKY group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In SHRs with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), the enhanced excitation of the sympathetic nervous system may be a common mechanism underlying BPH and hypertension, and NGF plays an important role in it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The First Clinical Medical School of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China. eee2233@126.com
authors.forename: Zhong-Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Liang
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Lin-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors