Low-affinity nerve growth factor receptors (p75LNGFR) in human prostate tissue: stromal localisation.

Beta-nerve growth factor (beta-NGF) acts on high- and low-affinity receptors to effect sympathetic innervation. It is produced in the human prostate. This study aimed to demonstrate the presence of beta-NGF receptors and the distribution of p75LNGFR receptor protein in the human prostate. Radioligand binding assays were performed using microsomal preparations from benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) tissues but no specific binding of beta-NGF was demonstrated (n = 20). Furthermore, BPH and prostate cancer tissues were stained immunohistochemically for p75LNGFR. Immunohistochemistry localised p75LNGFR to tiny areas of prostate stroma postulated to be sympathetic nerves (BPH, n = 15; prostate adenocarcinoma, n = 15). Our results suggest that beta-NGF in the human prostate acts on stromal elements which, most likely, represent prostatic nerves. Beta-NGF may be an epithelial-stromal mediator of sympathetic nerve growth in the human prostate.