Department of Anatomy, IB/University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
Microsc Res Tech. 2012 Jan;75(1):46-53. doi: 10.1002/jemt.21023. Epub 2011 May 26.
The stroma plays a fundamental role in the function of different glandular systems. In the prostate, the stroma is responsible for the development and maintenance of the differentiated state of the epithelium. Nicotine induces tobacco dependence and promotes morphological alterations in the epithelial compartment. However, its effects on the prostate stroma are unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphology of the stromal microenvironment in the ventral prostate lobe of rats submitted to chronic nicotine administration. Twenty rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into two groups: 10 animals received subcutaneous nicotine and 10 animals received physiological saline by the same route. After treatment, samples were collected from the ventral prostate lobe, processed and submitted to histology, histochemistry, and ultrastructural analysis by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The level of circulating testosterone was also analyzed. The results showed a significant increase in the density of type I collagen (56.3% to 85.9%, P < 0.01) and a decrease in the density of type III collagen (43.7% to 14.1%, P < 0.01). In addition, there was a qualitative increase in elastic fibers and in the number of smooth muscle cells with a secretory phenotype. Circulating testosterone levels were significantly reduced (898.3 to 363.1 ng/mL, P < 0.01). The results showed that nicotine modifies different components of the prostate stroma, suggesting that this drug is a risk factor for morphofunctional alterations in the prostate gland.
基质在不同腺体系统的功能中起着至关重要的作用。在前列腺中，基质负责上皮细胞的发育和维持其分化状态。尼古丁可引起烟草依赖，并促进上皮细胞区的形态改变。然而，其对前列腺基质的影响尚不清楚。本研究旨在评估慢性尼古丁给药后大鼠前列腺腹叶基质微环境的形态。将 20 只大鼠（Rattus norvegicus）分为两组：10 只动物接受皮下尼古丁注射，10 只动物接受相同途径的生理盐水注射。治疗后，从前列腺腹叶采集样本，进行组织学、组织化学和透射电子显微镜及扫描电子显微镜的超微结构分析。还分析了循环睾酮水平。结果显示，I 型胶原密度显著增加（56.3%至 85.9%，P<0.01），III 型胶原密度显著降低（43.7%至 14.1%，P<0.01）。此外，弹性纤维和具有分泌表型的平滑肌细胞数量也出现了定性增加。循环睾酮水平显著降低（898.3 至 363.1ng/ml，P<0.01）。结果表明，尼古丁可改变前列腺基质的不同成分，提示该药物是前列腺形态功能改变的危险因素。
