Expression and significance of estrogen receptor α and β in prostate cancer and peri-cancer tissue

Objective To investigate the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) α and β in human prostate cancer (PC), peri-cancer tissue and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissue, and to discuss the role of estrogen receptor in prostate cancer. Methods The expression of ERα and ERβ in PC (n=28), peri-cancer tissue (n=28) and BPH (n=29) were detected by immunohistochemistry with En vision method. The ERα and ERβ expression were compared among different tissues by chisquare. The relationship between ER expression and related clinicopathologic features was statistically analyzed by spearman rank collection. Results ERα was localized dominantly in the stromal cell of PC. There were significant differences of the expression of ERα in PC, peri-cancer tissue and BPH tissue (epithelial cell 0%, 14%, 24%, P＜0. 05; stromal cell 57%, 68%, 31%,P＜0. 05). ERβ was localized in both epithelial and stromal cell of PC. There were significant differences of the expression of ERβ in PC, peri-cancer tissue and BPH tissue (epithelial cell 39%, 64%, 29%, P＜0.01; stromal cell 50%, 75%, 79%, P＜0.05). There was a significant difference of the expression of ERβ in different Gleason scores of PC tissue. Conclusions ERα is localized in the stromal cell of PC tissue.ERβ is localized in both epithelial and stromal cell of PC tissue. The ERβ might be related to the tumor differentiation of PC.