Histopathological and immunocytochemical studies of chlormadinone acetate on the rat prostate

In order to confirm the relationship between glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PO) and testosterone action in rat ventral prostate, we have studied the immunocytochemical localization of GSH-PO in glandular epithelial cells of rat ventral prostate after chlormadinone acetate CMA) as antiandrogen. In the control rat ventral prostate, GSH-PO was predominantly observed in the glandular epithelial cells and intracellular localization of GSH-PO was exclusively observed in the cytoplasmic matrix near the rough endoplasmic reticulum and it was occasionally noted as small granular structure. In CMA-administered rats, the glandular epithelial cells of the ventral prostate were markedly atrophic. The intensity of GSH-PO staining in the glandular epithelial cells was markedly decreased. Immunoelectron microscopically, GSH-PO-positive granules were hardly seen in the atrophic glandular epithelial cells. These findings strongly suggest that loss of GSH-PO staining in the glandular epithelial cells of the rat ventral prostate treated with CMA a s antiandrogen is thought to be caused by inhibition of testosterone action, and that its staining pattern is useful for the effect of antiandrogens or antiprostatic agents on prostate.