Lactoferrin in human prostate tissue.

Lactoferrin levels have been determined by radialimmunodiffusion in homogenates of both human benign prostatic hypertrophy obtained at open surgery from patients, some of whom had been treated with oestrogens or antiandrogens, and also in prostatic adenocarcinoma tissue removed by transurethral resection. Results show that in untreated benign prostatic hyperplasia there is a statistically lower lactoferrin level in the median compared with the lateral lobes. In patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy treated before prostatectomy with oestrogens or antiandrogens the lactoferrin concentration is decreased. In neoplastic tissue removed by open surgery, the lactoferrin level is very low. Homogenates of tissue resected from prostatic cancer patients show similarly low levels. The concentration of lactoferrin in human prostate is hormone dependent. The role of the protein is considered to be bacteriostatic.