RECEPTORS FOR BPH GROWTH-FACTORS ARE LOCATED IN SOME NEUROENDOCRINE CELLS

BACKGROUND. Prostatic neuroendocrine (NE) cells play an important role in the growth and differentiation of the prostate. We are still unabl e to characterize the exact mechanisms which lead to interactions betw een the epithelial cell and the NE cell. We offer several interactions generated by the NE cells, and speculate on some actions of selected NE cells. METHODS. We used thin sections of prostatic tissue made from 20 radical prostatectomies. Our team used validated rabbit polyclonal antibodies which were raised against human EGFR and C-erb B-2, using the streptavidin-peroxidase conjugate method. RESULTS. A strong immuno reactivity was noted with both antibodies in the cytosol of some NE ce lls. These cells had a dendritic appearance, and they were located in the acini and ducts of small-to-moderate-sized prostatic glands. Doubl e immunostaining revealed the colocalization of both antigens with chr omogranin A (CgA), a polypeptide that is expressed by NE cells. Of int erest was the finding that EGFR and C-erb B-2 were colocalized as well as independently expressed by separate populations of NE cells. CONCL USIONS. We conclude that NE cells may be regulated by the PIER protein family, probably in a ligand-specific fashion. This is a revised repo rt which identifies a pathway regulating NE cells, and their interacti ons with epithelial cells. Prostate Supplement 8:14-17, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.