Expression Pattern of Neuroendocrine Cells and Survivin in the Prostate of Rabbits / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The neuroendocrine cell (NE cell) is thought to play an important role in the development of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Survivin is one of the IAPs (inhibitors of apoptosis), and it is expressed in the NE cell and in most of the common cancers, but not in normal tissue. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression pattern of the NE cell and survivin in the prostate of rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 9 rabbits underwent orchiectomy and their prostates were removed at 0 weeks (control), 2 weeks and 6 weeks after orchiectomy. Each of the prostatic tissue specimens was stained with H&E; immunohistochemical staining was done for chromogranin A, synaptophysin and survivin, and the tissue specimens were then examined by microscopy. RESULTS: In the prostate of rabbits, most of the NE cells were located between the epithelial gland and the stroma. NE differentiation occurred 6 weeks after orchiectomy. The location of cells that were positive for survivin was almost same as that of the NE cells. CONCLUSIONS: The main location of NE cells in the prostate of rabbits was between the epithelial gland and the stroma, and NE differentiation occurred 6 weeks after orchiectomy, the same as in a human or a dog. The location of survivin positive cells coincided with that of the NE cells. Therefore, a rabbit seems to be a suitable animal model for the study of the NE cell.