[Proliferation and apoptosis status in benign prostatic hyperplasia].

The aim of this study was to examine the proliferation and apoptosis status in normal prostate and benign prostatic hyperplasia. The proliferation status was evaluated by using monoclonal antibodies which recognize the proliferating cell nuclear antigen and the proliferating associated nuclear antigen Ki67. The apoptosis status was detected by in situ end-labeling of fragmented DNA using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase reaction. A total of 22 cases benign prostatic hyperplasia and 20 cases of normal protate specimens were studied. The proliferation index of BPH was much higher than that of normal prostates, and the apoptosis index of hyperplasia epithelium was much lower than that of normal prostatic epithelium. The results suggest that both high proliferating rate and low apoptosis rate are associated with the pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia.