Immunohistochemical analysis of estrogen receptors in prostate and clinical correlation in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia

PURPOSE Estrogens act through interaction with 2 receptor subtypes, ER alpha (ERα) and ER beta (ERβ), in human prostate. The aim of the present study was to semiquantitatively assess the differential expression of ER subtypes in human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by use of immunocytochemistry (IHC) methods and to explore their relationship with various measures of BPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 45 patients with BPH undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate and 22 patients with bladder cancer with normal prostate undergoing surveillance cystoscopy were studied as cases and controls, respectively. Quantitative immunolabeling of ER subtypes was scored by use of a semiquantitative scale. Also, correlations were assessed between ER levels in prostate and various measures of BPH. RESULTS Overall, we found strong immunostaining for ERα in stroma and for ERβ in epithelium, respectively. The IHC score for ERα differed significantly between BPH patients and controls in both stroma (p≤0.001) and epithelium (p=0.008), respectively. The ERβ IHC score was also significantly higher in the epithelium of BPH patients (p=0.01). Also, we found a significant correlation between prostatic ER levels and various clinical measures of BPH. CONCLUSIONS ERs may play an important role in the pathogenesis of BPH.