Localization of epidermal growth factor receptors in the human prostate by biochemical and immunocytochemical methods

The receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGF) was characterized in the particulate fraction from human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and was present in 85% of tissues analysed. The uptake of 125I-labelled EGF by BPH was dependent on both time and temperature, with maximum specific uptake achieved after incubation for 90 min at 37 degrees C. Binding characteristics revealed two classes of binding sites of higher (mean dissociation constant (Kd) +/- S.D. = 0.8 +/- 0.2 nmol/l) and lower (Kd = 7.6 +/- 2.8 nmol/l) affinities. Competition studies demonstrated the specificity of the receptor assay since the binding of labelled EGF was abolished with excess unlabelled EGF but not with excess unlabelled human GH, human insulin, venom nerve growth factor, human FSH, human LH and human prolactin. There was a complex biphasic relationship between specific binding and protein concentration in the range 0.1-8 mg/ml. Subcellular fractionation of BPH homogenates demonstrated that the bulk of the specific binding was confined to the 800 g (crude heavy pellet) and 15,000 g (mitochondrial pellet) fractions. The 105,000 g (microsomal pellet) and the 105,000 g (cytosol fraction) exhibited low and variable binding capacities for the growth factor. The presence of EGF receptor was also confirmed by immunocytochemical staining of frozen sections from BPH using monoclonal antibody specific for EGF receptors. A positive correlation between 125I-labelled EGF binding and the intensity of staining was found. The presence of a specific EGF-binding receptor protein in human BPH tissues suggests that EGF may play a role in the pathogenesis of human BPH.