Abstract
BACKGROUND: An important physiological function of the normal prostate gland is the synthesis and secretion of a citrate rich prostatic fluid. In prostate cancer, citrate production levels are reduced as a result of altered cellular metabolism and bioenergetics. Na, K-ATPase is essential for citrate production since the inward Na+ gradients it generates are utilized for the Na+ dependent uptake of aspartate, a major substrate for citrate synthesis. The objective of this study was to compare the expression of previously identified Na, K-ATPase isoforms in normal canine prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic adenocarcinoma (PCa) using immunohistochemistry in order to determine whether reduced citrate levels in PCa are also accompanied by changes in Na, K-ATPase expression. RESULTS: Expression of Na, K-ATPase alpha1 and beta1 isoforms was observed in the lateral and basolateral plasma membrane domains of prostatic epithelial cells in normal and BPH prostates. Canine kidney was used as positive control for expression of Na, K-ATPase alpha1 and gamma isoforms. The alpha1 isoform was detected in abundance in prostatic epithelial cells but there was no evidence of alpha2, alpha3 or gamma subunit expression. In advanced PCa, Na, K-ATPase alpha1 isoform expression was significantly lower compared to normal and BPH glands. The abundant basolateral immunostaining observed in normal and BPH tissue was significantly attenuated in PCa. CONCLUSION: The loss of epithelial structure and function and the transformation of normal epithelial cells to malignant cells in the canine prostate have important implications for cellular metabolism and are accompanied by a down regulation of Na, K-ATPase.