Immunoreactive EGF in human benign prostatic hyperplasia: relationships with androgen and estrogen receptors

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a sex steroid dependent disease. Estrogens and androgens can modulate in different mammalian tissues epidermal growth factor (EGF) production and/or secretion. In order to clarify the relationships between estrogen and androgen receptor concentrations and those of immunoreactive EGF (irEGF), we have evaluated these parameters in 14 human BPH samples, by means of a dextran-coated charcoal method and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Cytosolic steroid receptors did not seem to correlate with irEGF. A linear significative relationship was evident between nuclear androgen receptor (ARn) levels and endogenous irEGF but not between nuclear estrogen receptors and irEGF: in ARn negative BPH samples, irEGF levels were lower than in ARn positive ones. Therefore, it is possible that androgens act at prostatic tissue level, through their own receptors, by modulating EGF production and/or secretion.