Differential distribution of pepsinogen II between the zones of the XXXX prostate and the seminal vesicle.

@entity1 @entity406 @entity7598
Pepsinogen II ( @entity7598 ) is a gastric proenzyme which has previously been found in both @entity1 seminal fluid and the prostate gland. However, no regional distribution of @entity7598 has been noted within the prostate nor has it been found in the seminal vesicle. Bouins-fixed sections of central zone, peripheral zone and seminal vesicle, taken from 10 prostates removed at radical prostatectomy or cystectomy, were exposed to antibody against @entity7598 and stained using the A-B-C immunoperoxidase technique. @entity406 -fixed tissue from autopsy prostates of four @entity1 in the third decade, and six cases with BPH nodules, were also examined for @entity7598 activity. In nine of 10 seminal vesicles, and seven of 10 central zone samples, more than 50 per cent of the cells stained positive for @entity7598 . By contrast, in nine of 10 peripheral zone samples staining was present in five per cent or less of the epithelial cells. Similarly, @entity7598 activity in the four autopsy prostates occurred almost entirely within the central zone and ended abruptly at the boundary between the peripheral and central zones. BPH nodules contained no @entity7598 activity. These findings provide the first evidence that the central and peripheral zones may serve different biological functions. Embryologically it is currently thought that the prostate is of endodermal origin and the seminal vesicle of mesodermal origin. The presence of large amounts of @entity7598 in both the seminal vesicle and central zone lends support to the hypothesis of a common mesodermal origin for these two structures.
