[784] TMPRSS2 Protein Expression in Human Prostate Cancer: A Tissue Microarray and Automated Quantitative Analysis
W Huang, M Waknitz, M Twohig, T Pier, CY Lin. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Background: TMPRSS2 is a type II transmembrane-bound serine protease that has gained interest owing to recent discovery of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusions identified in the majority of prostate cancer and its highly localized expression in the prostate. Some studies suggest that TMPRSS2 protein is regulated by androgen and is overexpressed in prostate cancer. However, limited quantitative data are available on TMPRSS2 protein in human prostate tissue.
Design: To validate the role of TMPRSS2 in prostate cancer and its progression, a prostate cancer tissue microarray (TMA) with duplicate cores was constructed. The TMA includes 41 localized prostate cancers (Pca_local), 18 aggressive prostate cancers (Pca_aggr), 18 metastatic prostate cancers (Met), 24 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), 18 high grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and 41 benign prostate tissues. The cellular expression level of TMPRSS2 was quantified using automated quantitative analysis (AQUA, HistoRx, New Haven, CT)). The comparisons of TMPRSS2 expression levels between groups were preformed using one-way ANOVA (SPSS 11.5, SPSS Inc; Chicago, IL). A two-sided significance level of 0.05 was used for each statistical test.
Results:
| Dx | Age (y) | GS | N | AQUA Score (mean SE) | Sig |
| Benign | 61.3 | 80 | 18518 | ||
| BPH | 67.8 | 39 | 31642 | 0.014* | |
| HGPIN | 62.9 | 36 | 24925 | 0.68 | |
| PCa_local | 58.2 | 6-9 (7) | 72 | 30225 | 0.006* |
| PCa_aggr | 62.2 | 7-8 (8) | 29 | 36660 | 0.001* |
| Met | 67.6 | 24 | 24240 | 0.879 |
Conclusions: The expression levels of TMPRSS2 protein were higher in proliferative prostate diseases compared to benign prostatic tissue, and significantly higher in localized and aggressive prostate cancers. However, the elevation of TMPRSS2 protein expression in metastatic cancer was not significant compared to that in benign prostatic tissue.
Category: Genitourinary (including renal tumors)
Monday, March 9, 2009 9:15 AM
Platform Session: Section A, Monday Morning