Comparative analysis of proliferation and cell death patterns in the ventral prostate of gerbils under the effects of bisphenol A and cadmium in androgenic normal conditions and after orchiectomy

The prostate is an accessory reproductive system gland presenting the development and maintenance regulated by androgens and estrogens. Interference in the action of these hormones may predispose this gland to develop diseases such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and cancer. The Bisphenol A (BPA) and cadmium (Cd) are environmental pollutants that have estrogenic activity. The BPA and Cd enter in human body, mainly through oral ingestion. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether exposure to BPA and the Cd during puberty can cause alterations in morphology, proliferation and cell death in normal and castrated gerbils¿ ventral prostate. For this, morphological, serological and immunocitochemical (PCNA for proliferating cells detection and TUNEL/ caspase-3 for apoptotic cells detection) methods were used. The results demonstrated that 7 days after the exposure to BPA and Cd, individually or in combination under androgenic normal conditions, there was an increase in epithelium height and in smooth muscle layer (SML) thickness. The BPA and Cd individually induced increased in PCNA and caspase-3 cellular expression. In association, the BPA and Cd cause increase in TUNEL immunostained cells. In castrated animals, the Cd, individually or in association with the BPA caused an increase in epithelium height, in SML thickness, in area and nuclear perimeter, in addition caused reduction in PCNA immunostained epithelial cells number. In addition, BPA and Cd combined, caused reduction in caspase-3 immunostained cells. Seventy-five days after BPA and Cd exposure, individually or in combination, in non-castrated animals, we observed an increase in epithelial height and the SMC thickness. All animals with 120 days of age had occurrences of lesions prostatic intraepithelial (PIN). The BPA caused a reduction in PCNA stromal cells expression. The Cd, individually or associated with BPA, caused an increase in PCNA immunostained epithelial cells. In addition, Cd increased the number of immunostained cells by TUNEL and decreased the immunostained cells by caspase-3. In castrated animals, the administration BPA and Cd, individually or in combination, increased the immunostained cells by TUNEL. We can conclude that the BPA and Cd are are important agents in endocrine activities changing of normal prostatic tissue patterns, altering the morphological, proliferation and cell death patterns (AU)