Regulação hormonal da prostata de femeas do gerbilo : avaliação estrutural, citoquimica e imunocitoquimica / Hormonal regulation of the gerbil female propstate: morphology, cytochemistry and immunocytochemistry

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

The female prostate is a functionally active gland found in several species of mammals, including humans and rodents. In adult female gerbils, the prostate presents a paraurethral location, showing close contact with the wall of urethra in its median and distal portions. This gland is homologue to the ventral prostate of male rodents and it is formed by a cluster of glands and ducts inserted into a fibermuscular stroma. In males, the prostatic physiology is regulated by steroid hormones, mainly androgen and estrogen. In females, the factors that influence the prostatic activity are unclear, although there are evidences that the hormonal alterations caused by aging are associated with the installation of prostatic lesions. Thus, the objective of this work is to evaluate the factors that promote the hormonal regulation of the gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) female prostate in hyperandrogenic conditions and estrogenic activity suppression. The results obtained with the structural, ultrastructural, serologic and immunocytochemical analyses showed that the gerbil female prostate is responsive to androgenic and the anti-estrogenic action. The androgenic stimulus has caused an abnormal prostatic growth, increase in secretory activity, and has also caused prostatic dysplasia and polycystic ovary syndrome. The letrozole treatment has stimulated an increase in testosterone serum levels, glandular hyperplasia, increment of the secretory activity and dysplasic growth, simulating the effects provoked by exogenous androgens. The effects caused by tamoxifen indicate that this endocrine agent has acted as an estrogenic agonist on the prostate, causing glandular hypertrophy, decrease in secretory activity and prostatic lesions. Hence, it is possible to conclude that the use of hormonally active drugs results in a series of complex effects that endanger the physiology of hormone-dependent organs, like female prostate and ovaries. The hormonal unbalance caused by the administration of such drugs results in alterations in prostatic morphology similar to what occurs during the development of spontaneous lesions in post-menopausal women. Thus, the utilization of such therapies must occur in a careful manner because a long-term treatment can cause malignant lesions in female prostate

ASSUNTO(S)

morphology (animals) imunocitoquimica androgens estrogens female prostate immunocytochemistry androgenos estrogenos prostata feminina morfologia (animais)

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