title: Which play a more important role in the development of large-sized prostates (≥80 ml), androgen receptors or oestrogen receptors? A comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the expression levels of androgen receptor (AR), oestrogen receptor α (ERα)and oestrogen receptor β (ERβ) in human prostate with various degrees of benign hyperplasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five BPH patients undergoing transurethral plasmakinetic resection of the prostate were divided into three 15-people groups of participants with small (<40 ml), medium (40-80 ml) and large (>80 ml) prostates. Patient blood samples were collected for measuring serum oestradiol (E2), total testosterone (TT), follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormone by radioimmunoassay. Postoperative prostate specimens were collected to detect AR, ERα and ERβ expression by immunoblotting and immunohistochemical staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significantly lower serum E2 levels in the patients with large prostates compared to the patients with small prostates (P < 0.05) and medium prostates (P < 0.01). A high TT and E2 serum ratio was observed in patients with large-sized prostates (P < 0.05), but there were no obvious differences in the serum TT levels between the three groups. Prostate AR expression in patients with large- (P < 0.05) and medium-sized prostates (P < 0.01) was high compared to patients with small-sized prostates. Prostate ERα expression in patients with large prostates was low compared to patients with small- and medium-sized prostates (P < 0.01). The prostate ERβ expression did not differ between the three groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased AR and decreased ERα expression in the prostate suggested that AR might be more important than ERα in stimulating prostate proliferation in patients with large-sized prostates. Patients with small- and large-sized prostates might require different management procedures involving selective oestrogen receptor modulators and selective androgen receptor modulators, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China. monkeyzhangpeng@163.com.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China. 92011552730@sina.com.
authors.forename: Wan-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yang-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xing-Huan
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tong-Zu
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei-Bing
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011467:Prostate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000097:blood*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen
keywords: Androgen receptor; Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Oestrogen receptor; Prostate volume