Disorders related with ageing in the gerbil female prostate (Skene's paraurethral glands)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Aging effects on the mongolian gerbil female prostate (Skene's paraurethral glands): Structural, ultrastructural, quantitative, and hormonal evaluations

Different from the classic view, the prostate is not a gland exclusive to the male, also being an organ of the female genital system presenting morphofunctional similarity between human and rodent. Thus structural, ultrastructural, morphometric-stereological features of the female prostate (Skene's paraurethral gland) and steroid serological levels were evaluated during young, adult, and senile ages in the Mongolian gerbil. The morphofunctional precocity of the female gland in comparison with the male gland occurring in young gland is probably associated with the female circulating steroid levels. The hormonal imbalance in senesce coincides with its susceptibility to histopathological lesions, such as epithelial hypertrophy, metaplasia, and intraepithelial neoplasia. Differently than that of males, the aging degeneration of the female gland involves the accumulation of lipofuscin granules. However, the alterations in senile prostate did not damage its functionality. These analyses reinforce the use of this experimental model for the comprehension of glandular morphofunctional aspects with special attention to senescence. Thus, the appreciation of this organ becomes relevant to avoid future discomfort to women's health.

Oestrogen supplementation following castration promotes stromal remodelling and histopathological alterations in the Mongolian gerbil ventral prostate

The effect of oestradiol on the intact and castrated adult gerbil prostate was evaluated by focussing on stromal and epithelial disorders, and hormonal receptor immunoreactivity. The experimental animals were studied by histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques, morphometric-stereological analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Epithelial alterations in the oestradiol-treated animals were frequent, with an increase in epithelial cell height, areas of intense dysplasia and hyperplasia and formation of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). Another aspect that did not depend on the presence of testosterone was the arrangement of the fibrillar and non-fibrillar elements of the extracellular matrix among smooth muscle cells (SMC), suggesting a possible role of these cells in rearrangement and synthesis of these components, after oestrogenic treatment. In the castrated animals, an accumulation of extracellular matrix elements under the epithelium was evident, while in the intact animals the same compounds were dispersed and scarce. In the groups of intact and castrated animals, SMC and fibroblasts exhibited a secretory phenotype, which was accentuated after oestradiol administration. There was an increase of the immunoreactivity to alpha-oestrogen and androgen receptors in hyperplastic areas compared to normal epithelium, revealing the involvement of these steroid receptors in the hyperplasia and PIN development.

Microscopic comparative study of the exposure effects of testosterone cypionate and ethinylestradiol during prenatal life on the prostatic tissue of adult gerbils

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

High-Fat Diet Obesity Associated With Insulin Resistance Increases Cell Proliferation, Estrogen Receptor, and PI3K Proteins in Rat Ventral Prostate

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Morphometric and ultrastructure features of the ventral prostate of rats (Rattus norvegicus) submitted to long-term nicotine treatment

The harmful effects of nicotine on male genital system fertility have been reported in experimental and clinical studies. However, its effects on prostatic cells and glandular pathogenesis remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyse the histological, histochemical and ultrastructural alterations, in addition to stereology, of the ventral lobe of the prostate of rats, submitted to chronic nicotine administration, as well as to establish the relationship between these changes and prostate diseases. Twelve male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into two experimental groups: group I (nicotine) and group II (control). Samples of the ventral prostate were collected, processed and submitted to histological analysis, acid phosphatase histochemistry and ultrastructural analysis by transmission and scanning electron microscopies. The results showed that in the nicotine group, the secretory epithelial cells of the ventral lobe of the prostate were atrophied, and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia occurred and reduced the expression of acid phosphatase. The disorganisation of organelles involved in the glandular secretory process, accompanied by biomembrane destructuring, was also observed. In conclusion, nicotine causes drastic alterations in the secretory epithelium of the ventral prostate, compromising its function. Furthermore, nicotine also induces premalignant lesions in the prostate gland, thus representing a risk factor in the development of prostate diseases.

Experimental alcoholism and pathogenesis of prostatic diseases in UChB rats

Previous studies have shown that long-term alcohol treatment has negative effects on prostatic stromal-epithelial interaction. Thus, the aim of the present study was to analyze the histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural alterations that occur in the prostatic stroma and epithelium of rats submitted to chronic alcohol ingestion and alcohol abstinence, as well as to establish the relationship between these changes and prostatic diseases. Thirty male rats (10 Wistar and 20 UChB rats) were divided into three experimental groups: the control group received tap water, the alcoholic group received ethanol diluted to 10 degrees G.L. for 150 days, and the abstinent group received the same liquid diet as the alcoholic group up to 120 days of treatment and only tap water for 30 days thereafter. At the end of treatment, all animals were sacrificed and the ventral lobe of the prostate was removed and processed for histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analyses. In addition, plasma testosterone levels were measured. The results showed, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, infolding of the epithelium towards the stroma, stromal hypertrophy and the presence of inflammatory cells in alcoholic animals. In the abstinent group, alterations were noted mainly in the stromal area. In conclusion, ethanol triggers alterations in prostatic epithelial and stromal compartments, affecting the stromal microenvironment and predisposing the organ to pathological processes. (C) 2006 International Federation for Cell Biology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anti-Angiogenic Effects of the Superantigen Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Immunotherapy for Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

Purpose: We compared and characterized the effects of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin and/or staphylococcal enterotoxin B for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer.Materials and Methods: A total of 75 female Fisher 344 rats were anesthetized. of the rats 15 received 0.3 ml saline (control) and 60 received 1.5 mg/kg MNU (N-methyl-n-nitrosourea) intravesically every other week for 6 weeks. The rats were divided into 5 groups. The MNU and control groups received 0.3 ml saline. The bacillus Calmette-Guerin group received 10(6) cfu bacillus Calmette-Guerin. The staphylococcal enterotoxin B group received 10 mu g/ml staphylococcal enterotoxin B. The bacillus Calmette-Guerin plus staphylococcal enterotoxin B group received the 2 treatments simultaneously. Each group was treated intravesically for 6 weeks. At 15 weeks all bladders were collected for histopathological and immunological evaluation, and Western blot.Results: Papillary carcinoma (pTa) and high grade intraepithelial neoplasia (carcinoma in situ) were more common in the MNU group. Papillary hyperplasia was more common in the bacillus Calmette-Guerin and enterotoxin groups. Flat hyperplasia was more common in the bacillus Calmette-Guerin plus enterotoxin group. No significant toxicity was observed. The apoptosis and cellular proliferation indexes decreased in the bacillus Calmette-Guerin, enterotoxin and bacillus Calmette-Guerin plus enterotoxin groups compared to the MNU group. Intensified vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, Ki-67 and insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 immunoreactivity was verified in the MNU group, moderate in the bacillus Calmette-Guerin and enterotoxin groups, and weak in the bacillus Calmette-Guerin plus enterotoxin and control groups. In contrast, intense endostatin immunoreactivity was verified in the control and bacillus Calmette-Guerin plus enterotoxin groups.Conclusions: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and staphylococcal enterotoxin B showed similar anti-angiogenic effects. Bacillus Calmette-Guerin plus enterotoxin treatment had additional activity compared to that of monotherapy. It was more effective in restoring apoptosis and balancing cellular proliferation, and it correlated with increased endostatin, and decreased vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, Ki-67 and insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 reactivity.

Prostatic stromal microenvironment and experimental diabetes

The diabetes causes alterations in various organ systems, including the male accessory sex glands. The prostate is very important in the reproductive process and it is a frequent target of malignant changes. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the histochemical and ultrastructural alterations in the prostate of diabetic animals. Two groups of animals were utilized: control and non-obese diabetic mice (NOD). Twelve days after the characterization of diabetic status the ventral prostate was collected, fixed in Karnovsky and paraformaldehyde, processed for histochemistry and TEM associated to stereology. The results showed reduction of the epithelial area and increasing of the stromal area with muscular and collagen hypertrophy in the prostatic gland. It was characterized the development of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, inflammatory processes and dilation of the organelles involved in the secretory process. It was concluded that diabetes besides damaging the reproductive process, affects the glandular homeostasis favoring the development of prostatic pathologies. ©2005, European Journal of Histochemistry.

Óxido nítrico, GSTP-1 e P53: qual o papel desses biomarcadores e suas correlações com as afecções prostática no cão?

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Atipias de significado indeterminado em células escamosas cervicais e diagnósticos histológicos na Secretaria de Estado de Saúde do Distrito Federal

Pós-graduação em Ginecologia, Obstetrícia e Mastologia - FMB

Atipia do epitélio prostático canino: aspectos moleculares e imunofenotípicos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Papilomavírus humano associado a lesões de cérvix uterina

Com a finalidade de contribuir para um melhor conhecimento do eventual papel do Papilomavirus humano (HPV) na etiopatogênese do câncer cervical na região norte do Brasil, estudou-se a prevalência do vírus em 228 mulheres portadoras de lesões de cérvix uterina, atendidas no Instituto Ofir Loiola (IOL), em Belém, Pará, no período de março de 1992 a maio de 1996. As pacientes foram submetidas à biópsia de colo uterino, sendo o material coletado encaminhado para histopatologia e pesquisa de HPV por diferentes técnicas laboratoriais. Para fins de análise, as participantes foram distribuídas em 3 grupos, de acordo com o diagnóstico histopatológico. O grupo A foi constituído de 155 mulheres com carcinoma epidermóide invasor ou adenocarcinoma, o grupo B de 54 portadoras de neoplasia intraepitelial cervical grau II ou III (NIC II e NIC 111) e o C, de 19 pacientes com cervicite crônica. Pelas técnicas de PCR e hibridização por dot-blot, registraram-se prevalência de HPV em 70,3%, 63,0% e 36,8% das mulheres reunidas nos grupamentos A, B e C, respectivamente. O tipo de HPV predominante foi o 16, que representou 60,4% das amostras positivas do grupo A e 54,5% daquelas do grupo B. Os HPV tipo 16, 18 e 33 representaram 71,4% dos detectados no grupo C. Em 155 das 228 amostras testadas por PCR, realizou-se também a técnica de hibridização in situ (HIS) com sondas para detectar HPV 6/11, 16/18 e 31/33/35. A prevalência de HPV registrada por essa técnica foi de 17,4%, enquanto que por PCR observou-se, nas mesmas amostras, percentual Positivo de 65,2%. No que diz respeito a outros fatores, também tidos como implicados no desenvolvimento de carcinomas e lesões precursoras em cérvix uterina, verificou-se que cerca de 40% das mulheres dos grupos A e B admitiram iniciação sexual precoce (com 15 anos ou menos). Entretanto, a grande maioria referiu de 1 a 3 parceiros, não caracterizando comportamento sexual promíscuo. Os dados aqui apresentados, a exemplo do que se registrou em outros estudos conduzidos em diversas áreas geográficas, sustentam a hipótese de que o HPV desempenha um importante papel na etiologia dos carcinomas de colo uterino e neoplasias intraepiteliais cervicais. Contudo, investigações adicionais e mais amplas devem ser realizadas, com vistas a uma melhor compreensão das características epidemiológicas da infecção por HPV na Região Amazônica.

Papilomavírus humano associado a lesões de cérvice uterina

Estudou-se a prevalência do papilomavírus humano (HPV) em 228 mulheres portadoras de lesões em cérvice uterina, atendidas no Instituto Ofir Loiola, em Belém, Pará, no período de março de 1992 a maio de 1996. As pacientes foram submetidas à biópsia de colo uterino, sendo o material encaminhado para histopatologia e pesquisa de HPV por PCR e hibridização por dot-blot. Distribuíram-se as participantes em três grupos, conforme diagnóstico histopatológico. O grupo A constituiu-se de 155 mulheres com carcinoma epidermóide invasor ou com adenocarcinoma, o grupo B de 54 portadoras de neoplasia intra-epitelial cervical grau II ou III, e o grupo C de 19 pacientes com cervicite crônica. Observaram-se prevalências de HPV em 70,3%, 63,0% e 36,8% das mulheres dos grupamentos A, B e C, respectivamente, sendo o HPV 16 registrado em 60,4% das amostras positivas do grupo A e 54,5% daquelas do grupo B. Os tipos 16, 18 e 33 representaram 71,4% dos detectados no grupo C.

Padrão histológico, perfil imunoistoquímico e potencial pré-maligno das lesões diaplásicas da próstata canina

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)