Immunolocalization of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in prostatic hyperplasia and carcinoma

Abstract

Oestrogen receptors and progesterone receptors were immunolocalized in 19 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and in 26 patients with prostatic carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue that had been fixed in 8% paraformaldehyde and then paraffin-embedded, using microwave irradiation for antigen retrieval. Oestrogen receptor expression was observed exclusively in the stromal cells of six out of 26 (23%) patients with prostatic carcinoma, but in none of the cells of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Progesterone receptor expression was detected in 16 of 19 (84%) and 17 of 19 (89%) of the epithelial cells and stromal cells of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, respectively. In patients with prostatic carcinoma, progesterone receptor immunoreactivity was observed in 12 of 20 (46%) and 20 of 26 (77%) of the carcinoma and stromal cells of prostatic carcinoma, respectively. The ratio of epithelial cells with progesterone receptor immunoreactivity corresponded well with that of stromal cells with immunoreactivity in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, the ratio of stromal cells with progesterone receptor immunoreactivity was much higher than that in carcinoma cells in patients with prostatic carcinoma. Immunolocalization patterns or the ratio of the cells with progesterone receptor immunoreactivity did not significantly correlate with histological differentiation or patient's age in carcinoma cases. However, patients with advanced surgical stages of disease demonstrated a significantly smaller number of carcinoma and stromal cells with progesterone immunoreactivity in patients with prostatic carcinoma. These results suggest that oestrogens do not have a direct effect on the biological behaviour of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma, but that progesterone appears to play a role in the pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma.

Nuclear Receptor DAX1 in Human Prostate Cancer: A Novel Independent Biological Modulator

“…In addition, estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) and progesterone receptor (PR) is also expressed in prostate cancer and is known to modify its biological significance [3][4][5]. Therefore, it becomes interesting to examine the regulatory mechanisms of expression of these steroid receptors in human prostate cancer.…”

Differential Expression of Estrogen Receptor β (ERβ) and Its C-Terminal Truncated Splice Variant ERβcx as Prognostic Predictors in Human Prostatic Cancer

“…The action of estrogens has been thought to be mediated via a blockade of the pituitary-testicular axis, which effectively lowered circulating levels of androgen and caused tumor regression. This concept has been supported by immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization studies that could not identify detectable levels of estrogen receptor (ER) in epithelial compartments of human prostatic tissue (2)(3)(4). However, recent investigations have demonstrated that estrogens may exert direct growth-inhibitory effects on prostatic cancer cells via induction of mitotic arrest or apoptosis (5)(6)(7).…”

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma of the Male Breast: A Rare Histology in an Uncommon Disease

“…However, histological features such as acini or glandular formation or prominent nucleoli, were not present, and the overall histological appearance was typical of lobular carcinoma of the breast. Variable expression of either ER or PR has been described in a subset of prostatic adenocarcinomas; however, the combined extent and intensity of expression of both ER and PR together as seen in this case, especially in the setting of the histological features, support the diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma [7,8]. Systemic chemotherapy and endocrine therapy were given to this multinode-positive patient.…”