Detection of illegal estrogen administration through immunohistochemical markers in the bovine prostate

Abstract

Pesq. Vet. Bras. 19(3/4):133-138, jul./dez. 1999 133 RESUMO. [Verificação da administração ilegal de estróge-nos através de marcadores imunohistoquímicos na prós-tata de bovinos.] A imunodeteccão de marcadores celulares foi avaliada em amostras prostáticas de bovinos com hiperplasia ou hiperplasia-metaplasia epiteliais, induzidas por estróge-nos administrados ilegalmente e em próstatas de bovinos inoculados com dietilstilbestrol (DES). A técnica de recuperacão antigênica permitiu o uso de tecidos fixados em formalina, por longos períodos. Foram utilizados os anticorpos monoclonais K8.12, anti-vimentina e anti-desmina para determinação de células basais coradas/epitélio hiperplásico-metaplásico, células do estroma e células musculares, respectivamente. As alterações tissulares observadas nos casos de campo e nos experimentais foram semelhantes, através do que se concluiu que houve administração ilegal de estrógenos. O teste imunohistoquímico com esses marca-dores específicos foi útil ao exame histológico da próstata, uma vez que a análise das imagens permite maior e melhor quantificação das alterações observadas. Os testes bioquí-micos, entretanto, são necessários para uma avaliação mais precisa. TERMOS DE INDEXAÇÃO:Próstata bovina, marcadores de celulares, imunohistoquímica, estrógenos. INTRODUCTIONThe use of hormonal anabolics in the fattening of cattle can lead to an increase of about 10-20% of its body weight by mainly affecting the musculature (Engst & Sauerlich 1965, McMartin et al. 1978. The most frequently used drugs are diethylstilbestrol (DES) or DES esters such as DES dipropionate (DES-DP) due to their efficacy, price, availability and stability (Jansen et al. 1989). DES has been banned from beef production primarily because of health risks resulting on account of its carcinogenic and teratogenic properties (Herbst et al. 1974, McMartin et al. 1978. Nevertheless, illegal DES administration occurs and it is a matter of concern in many countries (Epstein 1990).Hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia of the prostatic glandular epithelium have been considered as DES-induced The immunodetection of diverse cell markers was evaluated in prostatic samples from bullocks, and bullocks showing epithelial hyperplasia-metaplasia, with oestrogen-induced changes, and in experimental samples from bullocks inoculated with dietylstilbestrol (DES). Antigen-retrieval procedures allowed the use of tissues that had been fixed in formalin for long periods. Three tissue markers were chosen for the study: cytokeratins 13 and 16, vimentin and desmin. Monoclonal antibody K8.12 (specific for cytokeratins 13 and 16) stained basal cells and hyperplastic-metaplastic epithelium; monoclonal antivimentin, and desmin, allowed the definition of fibromuscular changes.

Lectin binding patterns in hyperplastic and metaplastic bullock prostate tissues after diethyistilbestrol administration

“…Several methods have been used to detect the administration of oestrogen to fattening animals (Kroes and others 1976, Martin 2000). One widely employed method is the histological examination of the prostate gland (the prostate test) (Ruitenberg and others 1970, Groot 1992, Weijman and others 1996, Fernandez and others 1999), which can be carried out rapidly and is a simple, inexpensive and reliable test. Prostatic tissues that show hyperplastic and metaplastic changes in the epithelium are considered positive and the intensity of the changes is graded subjectively on a scale of 1 to 4.…”