NEUROENDOCRINE CELLS IN THE NORMAL, HYPERPLASTIC AND NEOPLASTIC PROSTATE

Neuroendocrine cells can be demonstrated in normal, hyperplastic and n eoplastic prostatic tissues. The products secreted by these cells can be used as tissue and/or serum markers but may also have biological ef fects. Neuroendocrine cells in prostate cancer most probably do not co ntain the androgen receptor and are therefore primarily androgen indep endent. Some of the neuropeptides secreted by the neuroendocrine cells may act as growth factor by activation of membrane receptors in an au tocrine-paracrine fashion or by ligand-independent activation of the a ndrogen receptor in neighboring non-neuroendocrine cells. Evidence is accumulating from experiments with tumor models that neuropeptides ind eed can influence the growth of prostatic tumor cells. Future research on neuroendocrine differentiation may answer some questions concernin g the biological behavior of clinical prostatic tumors.