Secretions from seminal vesicles lack characteristic markers for prostasomes

  • GÖRAN SAHLÉN Department of Urology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
  • OVE NILSSON Department of Medical Cell Biology, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
  • ANDERS LARSSON Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
  • LENA CARLSSON Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
  • BO JOHAN NORLÉN Department of Urology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
  • GUNNAR RONQUIST Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Keywords: CD10, CD13, CD26, clusterin, electron microscopy, HSP70, markers, prostasomes, seminal-vesicle

Abstract

Background. Prostasomes are suggested to be produced in the prostate gland. Although biochemical studies support this, some immunohistochemical findings indicate that also the seminal vesicles could be a source of prostasomes. Therefore, we have compared the secretion of the vesicles with that of the prostate using biochemical and ultrastructural techniques.

Methods. Ultracentrifuged pellets of substance from seminal vesicle secretions were analysed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and flow cytometry. The secretory cells of the seminal vesicles were examined with transmission electron microscopy. These findings were then compared with published results from similar studies of the prostate secretory cells.

Results. In SDS-PAGE, the seminal vesicle pellets lacked the three prostasome-characteristic CD-markers, namely CD10, CD13, and CD26, but expressed two proteins of about 55 kDa and 70 kDa, corresponding to clusterin and heat shock protein (HSP70). Flow cytometry showed the presence of secretion particles in the seminal pellet, although of a smaller size than that of the prostasomes. Electron microscopy of the luminal part of the cells in the seminal vesicles demonstrated many secretion granules, each enclosed in a vesicle with a size of about 1 μm.

Conclusions. Pelleted seminal vesicle secretion is different to prostate secretion in several ways. No prostasome characteristics were detected in the pelleted seminal vesicle secretion.

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Published
2009-11-30
How to Cite
SAHLÉN G., NILSSON O., LARSSON A., CARLSSON L., NORLÉN B. J., & RONQUIST G. (2009). Secretions from seminal vesicles lack characteristic markers for prostasomes. Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences, 115(2), 107–112. https://doi.org/10.3109/03009730903366067
Section
Original Articles