EJMS

Abstract

Background: Aging represents a major risk factor for prostate cancer; however, mechanisms responsible for this relationship remain unclear. Increased levels of oxidative stress together with decreases in selenium and the major cellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH) are common in tissues of old animals. Aim of the work: the aim of the present study was to study the age related histological changes on the prostate gland of albino rat and the role of selenium in ameliorating these alteration. Materials and methods: This study was carried out on 40 male albino rats. The animals were classified into 4 groups according to their age, each consisted of ten rats. Group1: (4 months), Group II: (18 months). Group III: (22 months). Group IV (18 months) received a daily oral dose of sodium selenite (10 μg/Kg b.w) dissolved in water and scarified at 22 months age. At the end of experiments the prostate removed and prepared for histological and histochemical study. Results: In old rats there were histological alterations in prostate gland compared with control group. The epithelial cells of prostatic acini exhibited hyperplasia which projected into the lumens of the prostatic acini. Most of the intertubular blood vessels were congested and massive inflammatory cellular infiltration were recorded. Histomorphological results showed that the thickness of fibromuscular stroma were significantly increased in old rat. Prostate gland of old animals showed decrease in the proteins and nucleic acids contents. Treating animals with selenium showed an improvement in the histological structure as well as histochemical components of the prostate gland. Conclusion: selenium treatment was observed to ameliorate the age –related histological and histochemical alteration in prostate gland of rats. This effect of selenium may be attributed to its antioxidant effect.