Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Paper
  • Published:

Long-term testosterone stimulation induces hyperplasia in the guinea-pig prostate

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 7, pages 227–231 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

The relation between supraphysiologic circulating testosterone levels and prostatic diseases is unclear and difficult to study in men. Animal models may be advantageous. Based on a pilot study, testosterone enantate 50 mg (n=12) or 25 mg (n=12) was administered to guinea-pigs intramuscularly every 3 weeks, for either 7 or 14 months. The histopathology of the prostate was described. Epithelial hyperplasia was found in 14/21 animals receiving testosterone and in 7/12 very old animals, but no such changes were found in the sham or castrated animals. Testosterone stimulation seems to induce epithelial hyperplasia, but not cancer, in the guinea-pig prostate.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gustafsson O et al. Dihydrotestosterone and testosterone levels in men screened for prostate cancer: a study of a randomized population. Br J Urol 1996; 77: 433–440.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Stattin P et al. High levels of circulating testosterone are not associated with increased prostate cancer risk: a pooled prospective study. Int J Cancer 2004; 108: 418–424.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Mydlo JH et al. A pilot study analyzing PSA, serum testosterone, lipid profile, body mass index and race in a small sample of patients with and without carcinoma of the prostate. Prostate Cancer P D 2001; 4: 101–105.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jin B, Turner L, Walters W, Handelsman J . Androgen or estrogen effects on human prostate. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996; 81: 4290–4295.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kaufman JM . The effect of androgen supplementation therapy on the prostate. Aging Male 2003; 6: 166–174.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Maini A, Archer C, Wang C, Haas G . Comparative pathology of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. In vivo 1997; 11: 293–300.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Acosta S et al. Neuroendocrine cells and nerves in the prostate of the guinea pig: effects of peripheral denervation and castration. The Prostate 2001; 46: 191–199.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Cockett ATK et al. Relationship of neuroendocrine cells of prostate and serotonin to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology 1993; 42: 513–519.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Abrahamsson PA et al. Peptide hormone and serotonin immunoreactive cells in normal and hyperplastic prostate glands. Pathol Res Pract 1986; 181: 675–683.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Abrahamsson PA, Falkmer S, Grimelius L . The course of neuroendocrine differentiation in prostate carcinomas. An immunohistochemical study testing chromogranin A as an ‘endocrine marker’. Pathol Res Pract 1989; 185: 373–380.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Di Sant'Agnese PA . Neuroendocrine cells of the prostate and neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma: a review of morphological aspects. Urology 1998; 52: 121–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Bahnemahn R et al. RITA—registry of industrial toxicology animal-data. Guides for organ sampling and trimming procedures in rats. Exp Toxicol Pathol 1995; 47: 247–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Benoit B et al. Comparison of residual C-19 steroids in plasma and prostatic tissue of human, rat and guinea pig after castration: unique importance of extratesticular androgens in men. J Steroid Biochem 1989; 32: 695–698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Carson C, Rittmaster R . The role of dihydrotestosterone in benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology 2003; 61: 2–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Tilley WD et al. Effects of ageing and hormonal manipulations on the level of oestrogen receptors in the guinea-pig prostate. J Endocrinol 1987; 112: 139–144.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Horsfall D et al. Age-related changes in guinea pig prostatic stroma. Lab Invest 1994; 70: 753–763.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Di Sant'Agnese, Davis N, Chen M, Jensen K . Age-related changes in the neuroendocrine cell population and the serotonin content of the guinea pig prostate. Lab Invest 1987; 57: 729–736.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Bonkhoff H . Neuroendocrine cells in benign and malignant prostate tissue: morphogenesis, proliferation, and androgen receptor status. Prostate 1998; 8 (Suppl): 18–22.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge animal keeper Birgitta Klefbom, Department of Animal Physiology at our university for having taken good care of the experimental animals, providing information on behaviour and administration of testosterone.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, University Hospital of Malmö, Malmö, Sweden

    S Acosta, N Dizeyi & P-A Abrahamsson

  2. Section of Laboratory Animal Pathology, National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden

    R Feinstein

  3. Department of Animal Physiology, University Hospital of Lund, Lund, Sweden

    S Pierzynowski

Authors
  1. S Acosta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N Dizeyi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R Feinstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S Pierzynowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P-A Abrahamsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S Acosta.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Acosta, S., Dizeyi, N., Feinstein, R. et al. Long-term testosterone stimulation induces hyperplasia in the guinea-pig prostate. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 7, 227–231 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500744

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500744

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links