The Effect of Prolactin on Human BPH Epithelial Cell Proliferation

640

MISCELLANEOUS

Progesterone, estrone and estradiol are present in significant amounts in human benign prostatic hyperplasia. Therefore, it was of interest to determine the inhibitory effect of these steroids on the 5a-reductase and 3a(B)-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSDH) activities, the enzymes responsible for the conversion of testosterone to 5a-dihydrotestosterone and 5adihydrotestosterone to 3a(B)-androstanediols, respectively. The enzyme inhibition was analyzed in vitro by measuring the 5a-reductase concentration in the presence of progesterone, estrone or estradiol using testosterone as the substrate. 5aDihydrotestosterone was used as the substrate for HSDH. The metabolites were quantified by thin layer chromatography. The main results were 1) 5a-reductase in benign prostatic hyperplasia-the mean inhibitor constants (K and M) of progesterone, estrone and estradiol were 0.11, 15.5 and 5.1, respectively. 2) HSDH in benign prostatic hyperplasia-the mean K values of progesterone, estrone and estradiol were 169, 63 and 192, respectively. 3) When the epithelium and stroma of benign prostatic hyperplasia were analyzed separately, the inhibition of 5a-reductase and of HSDH led to nearly identical K values. 4) The kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) of the 5a-reduction of progesterone and testosterone were nearly identical. These results suggested that the endogenous concentrations of progesterone, estrone and estradiol have no significant inhibitory effect on the 5a-reductase and HSDH in vivo. Furthermore, the nearly identical inhibitor constants found for both enzymes in epithelium and stroma of benign prostatic hyperplasia indicate that in both compartments the 5a-reductase and HSDH are qualitatively identical. W. W. K. 1 figure, 3 tables, 18 references

munocytochemical staining has demonstrated prolactin receptors in the prostate. The authors studied the effect of prolactin on human benign prostatic hyperplasia using an explant culture technique. They also studied the effect of testosterone and 5-a-dihydrotestosterone. Prolactin alone increased the metaphase index and the area of outgrowth of the cultured benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue. The increase in growth seen with 5-a-dihydrotestosterone was decreased by adding prolactin at a higher concentration. Furthermore, the effect of prolactin was not dependent on the presence of androgen. The authors concluded that prolactin can stimulate the growth of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and determined whether monolayers of normal and carcinomatous tissue will respond to prolactin in a similar manner. What happens to benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue is not clear. N. J. 5 figures, 1 table, 27 references

Zinc and Cadmium Concentrations in Whole Tissue and in Separated Epithelium and Stroma From Human Benign Prostatic Hypertrophic Glands

Arch. Path. Lab. Med., 109: 128-132 (Feb.) 1985

R.

LAHTONEN, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

Prostate, 6: 177-183, 1985 Tissue from benign prostatic hypertrophy specimens can be separated into epithelial and stromal components. The authors measured zinc and cadmium content in the epithelial and stromal portions by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The concentrations of zinc were significantly higher in the epithelial component than in the stroma (p <0.001), while the concentration of cadmium was not. In the epithelial preparation cadmium and testosterone had an inverse correlation. More studies are needed to clarify the role of zinc and cadmium in prostatic tissue, benign prostatic hypertrophy and cancer of the prostate. N. J. 2 tables, 24 references The Effect of Prolactin on Human BPH Epithelial Cell Proliferation

Lymphadenopathy in Patients at Risk for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Histopathology and Histochemistry. M.

RAPHAEL, P. POULETTY, M. COVAILLE-COLL, W. ROZENBAUM, A. HOMOND, L. NONNENMACHER, A. DELCOURT, J.C. GLUCKMAN AND P. DEBRE, Department of

Hematologie, Laboratoire d'Immunologie Cellulaire et Tissulaire, Department de Sante Publique et de Medecine Tropicale, Laboratoire d'Immunologie Nephrologique, Laboratoire d'Anatomie-Pathologie, CHU Pitre Salpetriere and Service de Medecine Nucleaire, Hopital Saint Louis, Paris, France

The histopathological and histochemical findings of lymph node biopsies from 20 patients were analyzed. Eleven homosexual men and 1 female drug addict had the prodromic acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related complex and underwent biopsy of enlarged lymph nodes. These findings were compared to biopsies from a control group of 7 heterosexual patients believed to have reactive hyperplasia of the nodes. The authors found that T helper/T suppressor-cytotoxic ratios in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related complex are significantly decreased (versus controls). This decrease precedes changes in the T helper/T suppressor-cytotoxic ratio in peripheral blood. This study confirms recent findings of others. J. H. N. 2 figures, 2 tables, 35 references

MISCELLANEOUS Prevention of Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures With Oral Diazepam Loading

M. L. HARRISON, Clinical Institute, Addiction Research Foundation and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

P. DEVENYI AND

A.

M. E. HARPER AND K. GRIFFITHS, Tenovus Institute for Cancer Research, University Hospital of Wales, Heath, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom J. SYMS,

Prostate, 6: 145-153, 1985 Prolactin may have an indirect effect on the prostate by altering androgen synthesis at the testicular level. However, human prostatic tissue contains special prolactin binding sites, which also are androgen dependent. Furthermore, human im-

Canad. Med. Ass. J., 132: 798-800 (Apr.) 1985 Withdrawal seizures are rare among patients with chronic alcoholism (2.5 to 16 per cent). However, at least a third of the patients with a history of such seizures will have them again on withdrawal. Prophylactic or as needed therapy with phenytoin has been used for many years but side effects make its use