Objective To determine whether heat, used in transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) for benign prostatic hyperplasia and which causes necrotic lesions within the adenoma, induces apoptosis in benign human prostatic stromal cells, Materials and methods Prostatic stromal cells were cultured from benign human prostatic tissue. The origin of the cells was identified by immunohistochemical staining and transmission electron microscopy, Cell cultures were exposed to moderate hyperthermia (47 degrees C) for 1 h and any apoptosis detected by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and the measurement of induced caspase-3-like activity, Results The cultures contained a mixed population of smooth muscle cells and myofibroblasts. Twenty-four hours after heat exposure, 76% of the cells were apoptotic and the caspase activity had increased, whereas only 14% of the cells were necrotic, Conclusion Moderate hyperthermia induces apoptosis in cultured human prostatic stromal cells.
