Sex steroid receptors in normal and hyperplastic human prostate

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Endocrinology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Sex steroid receptors play crucial roles in prostate physiology and pathology.
• Understanding receptor distribution in normal and hyperplastic prostate tissue is vital for targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify and compare concentrations of occupied androgen receptors (AR), progestin receptors (PR), and estrogen receptors (ER) in normal and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues.
• To investigate the cellular localization of these receptors within prostate tissue.

Main Methods:

• Developed an improved exchange procedure to stabilize receptor-binding sites for accurate measurement.
• Utilized radioligand binding assays with specific ligands for AR, PR, and ER.
• Employed hydroxylapatite (HAP) batch adsorption for radioligand separation.
• Correlated receptor concentrations with specific epithelial (acid phosphatase) and stromal (prolyl hydroxylase, myosin ATPase) cell markers.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in total AR per DNA unit between hyperplastic and normal prostate tissue.
• PR was found in both normal and BPH tissues, but at significantly lower concentrations in hyperplastic samples.
• ER was detected infrequently and at low concentrations, with lower frequency in BPH than in normal tissue.
• AR and PR showed a positive correlation with acid phosphatase, indicating association with epithelial cells.

Conclusions:

• Androgen receptors (AR) and progestin receptors (PR) are primarily associated with prostate epithelial cells.
• Estrogen receptor (ER) presence is irregular and low, particularly in BPH.
• The findings provide insights into the cellular distribution of steroid receptors in the prostate, relevant for understanding BPH and developing treatments.