AN AUTOPSY STUDY OF THE PROSTATE IN ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME - EVIDENCE FOR EXCESSIVE APOPTOSIS AND INTRACYTOPLASMIC EPITHELIAL INCLUSIONS

We describe a combination of epithelial cell apoptosis and intracytopl asmic inclusions in prostatic epithelium in 6 patients who died from t he acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Two different types of apoptosi s were detected: simple cell shrinkage and exploding glandular cells. No intracellular or extracellular viral particles were detected, eithe r ultrastructurally or immunohistochemically. Intracytoplasmic inclusi ons are apoptotic bodies in a state of degradation and in close associ ation with lipofuscin. The cell degeneration we observed confirms the theory that increased apoptotic cell depletion is responsible for weig ht loss in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In the prostate its elf, the combination of excessive apoptosis and active phagosomal dige stion of apoptotic bodies presents a ''human model'' of postcastration rat ventral prostate, under the conditions of severe immune deficienc y.