Tyrosine kinase A, autonomic and transmitter receptors, but not innervation, are upregulated in the aging rat prostate

Summary mature rat ventral prostate, epithelial proliferation is accompanied by significant upregulation of tyrosine kinase A, 1B and muscarinic acetylcholine M2 receptors as well as the synaptic vesicle-associated membrane proteins synaptobrevin and SV2 as compared with immature prostate tissue. The adrenergic receptors 1, 2A and 1 were also up-regulated and translocated in mature rat prostate tissue. Expression of the Schwann cell/axonal marker S100 remained unchanged. These results are suggestive of a marked increase in metabolic activity, calcium influx and autonomic receptor expression in the aging prostate. These changes were not accompanied by an increase in the number of axons.