Effect of experimentally induced diabetes on adult albino rats' ventral prostate gland and role of selenium: histological and biochemical study

ABSTRACT

The relationship between the occurrence of benign hyperplasia and prostatic cancer with diabetes is a controversial issue. Selenium has been found to alleviate diabetic complications in many organs. To clarify the impact of diabetes on the histological structure of the albino rats' ventral prostate gland and the possible role of selenium supplementation. Thirty adult male albino rats were divided equally into three groups. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 was given a single intraperitoneal injection of 65 mg/kg body weight streptozotocin. Group 3 in which the rats, 1 week after diabetes induction, received 2 mg/kg body weight/day sodium selenite orally. Thirty days after diabetes induction, all rats were weighed, anesthetized, and sacrificed. The ventral prostatic lobes were dissected out, weighed, and processed for light and electron microscope examinations. The area percentage of collagen fibers, epithelial height, and acinar diameter were morphometrically measured. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS program. Examination of the ventral prostate gland of rats from group 2 revealed that the diameter of most acini was highly significantly increased when comparing it with group 1. The epithelial height of their acini was highly significantly decreased when comparing with group 1. Acini were lined by flat-to-low cuboidal cells with few papillary projections. The acinar lining showed focal areas of stratification. Few acini had columnar epithelium. Most cells had irregular-shaped nuclei, a dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, numerous electron-lucent vacuoles, and few secretory granules. Areas of irregular basement membrane were seen. Thick bundles of collagen fibers and cellular infiltration were seen. Examination of group 3 revealed that it nearly regained its normal architecture. Most acini had many papillary projections and were lined by columnar cells. Acinar cells had euchromatic basal nuclei, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and secretory granules of different sizes and densities, which might seem almost vacuolated with minimum secretory content. The body and prostatic weights were highly significantly lowered in group 2 in comparison with groups 1 and 3. Diabetes mellitus had a deleterious effect on the histological structure of the ventral prostate gland, and selenium could ameliorate diabetic effects on the prostate