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Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Produced by Seminal Vesicles: Relationship to Intraepithelial Basal Cell Hyperplasia in the Prostate

Authors' Affiliations: ¹ Department of Pathology, Drexel University College of Medicine; ² Department for Neuroscience, Center for Neurovirology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and ³ Faculty of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

Requests for reprints: Fernando U. Garcia, Department of Pathology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102. Phone: 215-762-2241; Fax: 215-762-3472; E-mail: Fernando.Garcia{at}DrexelMed.edu.

Purpose: This study examined the seminal vesicle fluid (SVF) as a potential local source of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the peripheral zone of the prostate.

Experimental Design: IGF-I levels in seminal fluid were measured. The levels of the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) in its active, phosphorylated form as well as direct downstream targets were examined in the peripheral zone of the prostate.

Results: In situ, we find that the IGF-IR is activated in the peripheral zone in areas of atrophy, prostatic intraepithelial hyperplasia, and cancer. In addition, immunostaining reveals preferential activation of the IGF-IR in p63-positive cells in areas of intermediate basal cell hyperplasia in the peripheral zone, indicating that prostate progenitor cells are highly sensitive to increases in local IGF-I levels. These areas of basal cell hyperplasia occur at high incidence in the peripheral zone of the prostate. Relatively high levels of IGF-I were identified in SVF. In addition, we find that SVF can stimulate the proliferation of both normal and cancer-derived prostate cells.

Conclusions: These results suggest that SVF is a local source of IGF-I that provides chronic stimulation of prostate cells. This chronic stimulation could contribute to the development of prostate cancer in older men.