The comparative analysis of medical and surgical castration on rat prostate apoptosis and glandular atrophy

Objective: The aim of the study is to compare the effect of surgical and medical castration on prostate tissue apoptosis.

Materials and methods: Rats were either surgically or medically castrated. Apoptosis and glandular atrophy in the prostate was assessed via Bax antibody immunohistochemical staining method. 30 adult (10 weeks old) Sprague Dawley Rats weighing about 250 gr were evaluated in three different groups for two weeks. Group (A) consisted of cyproterone acetate (CPA) administered rats (n:12) and Group (B) consisted of surgically castrated rats (n:12). The third group of six rats was the sham operated control group. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical apoptotic activity and glandular atrophy of the prostate was evaluated at the end of the second week.

Results: Significant glandular atrophy was seen in six rats in the medically castrated Group (50%) and in all 12 rats of the surgically castrated (100%). Prostatic atrophy in the surgically castrated group was more significant than the medically castrated group (Fischer’s exact test p=0.014). 58.3%, 100% and 0% of the rats in Group A, B and the control group respectively had an increased apoptotic staining in the prostate. Apoptosis in the surgically castrated group was more significant (Fischer’s exact test p=0.037) than the medically castrated group.

Conclusion: In this study we found that surgical castration is superior to medical castration in inducing apoptosis in the prostate of the rat.