Estrogen Receptors in the Human Male Prostatic Urethra and Prostate in Prostatic Cancer and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Abstract

Estrogen receptors (ERs) in the prostate and prostatic urethra were examined in 33 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and in 11 with prostate cancer (PC). The Abbot monoclonal ER-ICA assay was used for immunohistochemical investigation. In the BPH group, ERs were revealed in the prostatic stroma in eight cases and in the glandular epithelium in one. In four cases ERs were seen in the prostatic stroma and in the glandular epithelium. In the prostatic urethra, ERs were found in 19 cases located in the urothelium, lamina propria and/or periurethral glands. In the PC group, ERs were demonstrated in the prostatic stroma and/or prostatic urethra in 6 out of 11 cases. In both BPH and PC patients, immunoreactivity was weak and confined to few cells, indicating low ER content in the prostate as well as in the prostatic urethra. Dextran-coated charcoal (DCC) analysis was used for detection and quanticization of cytosolic and nuclear ERs. In the BPH group, ERs were detected once in the prostate and prostatic urethra in the nuclear and cytosol, and additionally in the prostatic urethra in the cytosol fraction in three cases. In all cases, ER content was low, ranging from 10-15 fmol/mg protein. In the PC group, ERs were detected in the prostatic urethra and/or prostate in the cytosol fraction from two patients. The contents were low, ranging from 10-13 fmol/mg protein. We conclude that in human BPH and PC, ERs can be present in the prostate and prostatic urethra. In the prostate, ERs are mainly located in the stroma, but in BPH specimens they can also be found in the glandular epithelium. Biochemically, the use of the DCC analysis is of limited value, since ER content in the human prostate and prostatic urethra is at the limit of detection with this method.

Importance of Estrogenic Signaling and Its Mediated Receptors in Prostate Cancer

“…ER expression in human PCa is also controversial. By immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, no ER expression was detected in cancerous epithelial cells, and ER mRNA/protein-expressing cells were limited to fibroblasts, myoblasts and smooth muscle cells of the tumor tissues [ 122 , 123 , 124 ]. On the contrary, Konishi et al [ 100 ] detected a subset of ER-expressing PCa cells by immunohistochemistry.…”

Relationship of oestrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphisms with risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer in Chinese men

“…ESR-α locates in the gap of epithelial cells and basilar membrane of the prostate, and ESR-β locates between epithelial gaps of the prostate. [14] Immunohistochemistry shows that, though ESRα is not expressed in epithelium of the normal prostate, it is strongly expressed in the prostate cells of BPH, PC tissues, LNCaP, and JCA-1 cells, [15–17] which implies that ESRα has essential relationship with the occurrence of BPH and PC. [18,19] Thus, to investigate the oestrogen acceptor may be helpful to elucidate the molecular mechanism of BPH and PC to a certain extent.…”

Estrogen Receptor-α is a Key Mediator and Therapeutic Target for Bladder Complications of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

“…In mice and men, they are encoded by unique genes from two different chromosomes, but have considerable overlap in tissue distribution and function. 8 ERs are expressed throughout the male lower urinary tract and reproductive system, including the prostate, 9–11 urethra, 9 bladder, 12 epididymis, 11 and testes. 11 While the central DNA-binding domains of human ERα and ERβ are highly conserved (97% homology) the carboxyl terminal ligand-binding domains and amino-terminals differ substantially (60% and 18% homology, respectively).…”