Histomorphometric features of ventral prostate in different aged rats after central ghrelin treatment.
Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand of growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a), has emerged as pleiotropic modulator of diverse biological functions, including energy homeostasis and recently, reproduction. The influence of intracerebroventricularly (ICV) administered ghrelin (1 μg/day/rat for 5 days) to rats of different ages, i.e, peripubertal (38 days), adult (60 days) and middle-aged (180 days) on the ventral prostate size and morphology, serum testosterone levels and testis weight was examined. Ghrelin treatment significantly increased (p < 0.05) absolute ventral prostate weight in peripubertal and middle-aged rats, by 27% and 37% respectively, due to enhancement of epithelial and/or luminal compartment of the gland. In adult rats, both absolute and relative volumes of the acinar lumen were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), by 38% and 44% respectively, which was associated with significant increases (p < 0.05) in relative and absolute volumes of interacinar stroma, whereas ventral prostate weigh was unchanged. Irrespective of animal age, ghrelin did not affect serum testosterone levels. These are the first results of ghrelin treatment effects on healthy prostate appearance, which allow us to conclude that the rat ventral prostate response to ghrelin depends on the developmental stage of animals. Our results merit further investigations and may have clinical implications, especially in the light of data on possible role of ghrelin in prostate hypertrophy and adenomas.
Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. bosiljka.plecas@pharmacy.bg.ac.rs
Bosiljka A
BA
Plecas-Solarovic
Dejan M
DM
Nesic
Darko M
DM
Stevanovic
Aleksandar Lj
ALj
Obradovic
Marina N
MN
Djelic
Verica Lj
VLj
Milosevic
Vesna P
VP
Starcevic
D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats
D054439:Ghrelin