Quantitative Studies of Prostatic Secretion

Abstract

Benign enlargement of the prostate, a lesion wherein localized overgrowth of an organ develops in old age, occurs in senile dogs and in no other species commonly used in the laboratory (1, 2). The high incidence of this spontaneous disease facilitated the present investigation of a condition which often involves the prostate gland of old men.No quantitative experimental studies of prostatic enlargement in the dog have been reported previously. The production of shrinkage of the hypertrophied gland was studied and in this paper the effects of castration and of injections of estrogenic and of androgenic materials are described as well as observational data on the enlarged canine prostate. For the purpose of experimental control estrogen was also injected in immature, castrate, and normal adult dogs.The approach consisted in assay of the pathological status before and after hormonal modifications and frequent testing of prostatic secretion throughout the period of experimentation. Spontaneous Prostatic Enlargement in the Dog.--This condition is not seen in dogs lessthan 4 years of age and does not produce urinary obstruction (3). While an appreciable growth of the prostate gland occurs after sexual maturity (4), in the pathological state the gland becomes greatly hypertrophied and can weigh at least 160 grn. as compared with 10 gm. or less in normal adult dogs (5); in all dogs in which the prostate weighed more than 0.7 gm. for each kilo of body weight, the gland was abnormal histologically (5). The enlargement is due to a hyperplasia of epithelium with marked papillary ingrowth and dilatation of the alveoli to form cysts containing clear fluid (6,7,46). In many cysts the lining epithelium varies from tall columnar to fiat epithelium in the same dilated alveolus although in some cysts all of the epithelium is flat (7). Spermatogenesis is in progress in most of the dogs (4) and many of them have tumors of the testis (4,6,7,35).

A history of prostate cancer treatment

“…Around this time, Charles Huggins (FIG. 1a) established a method to measure the effect of various hormonal manipulations on prostatic function 12 . He found that castration or oestrogen administration resulted in glandular atrophy, which could be reversed by readministration of androgen.…”

Androgens and androgen receptor signaling in prostate tumorigenesis

“…Prostate cancer can often be cured with definitive local intervention (surgery or radiation), but once the cancer metastasizes, it is incurable. Our most effective regimens for treating metastatic prostate cancer have arisen from the pioneering experiments, in which suppression of testicular testosterone production was shown to cause tumor regression (Huggins & Clark 1940). Since then, our ability to inhibit androgen synthesis and androgen receptor (AR) signaling has improved, and several agents are now approved for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer (Friedlander & Ryan 2012).…”

Obesity may influence the relationship between sex hormones and lower urinary tract symptoms

“…Despite the lack of knowledge regarding several aspects of BPH pathogenesis, its well recognized that the development of the histological features of the disease is dependent on the bioavailability of TT and its metabolite, dihydrotestosterone (18). A congenital lack of 5α-reductase results in a vestigial prostate gland (19) and castration in a man leads to glandular atrophy and regression of LUTS (20). It's also reasonable to think that systemic effects of TT in bone and muscle mass, fat mass, body energy, and physical, sexual, and cognitive function may also be reflected on LUTS.…”