Involvement of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the etiopathogenesis of prostatic proliferative processes

• Published in: Archivos españoles de urología Vol. 47; no. 7; p. 685
• Main Authors: Moreno Sierra, J, Fernández Lucas, C, Maestro de las Casas, M L, Ortega Heredia, M D, López Asenjo, J, Resel Estévez, Y L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01-09-1994
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prostate - chemistry; Prostatic Hyperplasia - etiology; Prostatic Neoplasms - chemistry; Prostatic Neoplasms - etiology; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor - analysis
• ISSN: 0004-0614

The prostatic growth factors require a membrane specific receptor to which they must bind in order to carry out their biological activities correctly. The aim of this study was to isolate and quantify the epidermal growth factor receptor in prostatic tissue and indirectly determine the growth factors acting on it (EGF, TGF alpha, PDGF, NGF, IGF). From September, 1992 to June, 1993, we studied 55 patients. These were divided into two groups: the first group comprised 49 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 6 patients with prostatic carcinoma comprised the second group. Samples of the prostate were obtained following suprapubic (12 cases), TUR (38 cases), radical prostatectomy (1 case) and transrectal biopsy (4 cases). The EGFR was determined by radioimmunoassay (EGFR-RIA, Vienna Lab, Labordiagnostica GmbH). For the overall group of patients, we obtained mean EGFR values of 6.36 +/- 0.59 fmol/mg of protein and a positivity of 96.36% and 100% for BPH and malignant proliferative processes, respectively. The foregoing data show that EGFR was isolated from the tissue we analyzed and has an evident role in the regulation of prostate growth.