Immunoexpression of adrenergic receptors in detrusor from patients with prune belly syndrome: a digital quantification.

INTRODUCTION: Prune belly syndrome (PBS) presents with large-capacity bladders, high compliance and post-void residual volumes. Operative and conservative treatments are controversial. When histologically compared to normal bladder, bladder outlet obstruction results in an up- or down-regulation of adrenoceptors. Our goal was to study the immunoexpression of adrenoceptors in detrusor from patients with PBS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bladder domes from PBS patients (n=14) were studied (PBG). For normal controls, bladder specimens were obtained at adult surgery (n=13) (CG1) and at child autopsy (n=5) (CG2). Staining was performed using antibodies to alpha1a, alpha1b, alpha1d and beta3 adrenoceptors. Five to 10 images were captured on an optic microscope with a digital camera and analysed with Photoshop. The immunocyhistochemical index with arbitrary units was calculated and compared.

RESULTS: Mean age was 1.28, 64 and 1.41 years for PBG, CG1 and CG2, respectively. The immunohistochemical index with arbitrary units of alpha1a receptors was 0.06 in PBG, 0.16 in CG1 and 0.14 in CG2 (p=0.008); of alpha1b 0.06, 0.06 and 0.07 (p=0.781); and of alpha1d 0.04, 0.04 and 0.05 (p=0.618). Regarding beta3 the respective values were 0.07, 0.14 and 0.10 (p=0.378).

CONCLUSION: Our results show a decrease in alpha1a-adrenoceptor immunostaining intensity in detrusor from children with PBS. Further in vitro studies are needed to determine whether these observations are physiologically significant.