Reduced levels of transforming growth factor beta receptor type II in human prostate cancer: an immunohistochemical study.
In previous studies we demonstrated that the growth of human prostatic adenocarcinoma is associated with aberrant accumulation of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1, a growth factor that has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of epithelial cell proliferation. We investigated the expression of TGF-beta receptor II (TGFbetaR-II) in benign prostate tissue and in prostate cancer using standard immunohistochemical techniques. Quantitation of immunopositivity for TGFbetaR-II was assessed on a visual analogue scale ranging from 0 (absence of staining) to 4+ (intensely positive staining). All of the benign glandular epithelia stained intensely, either 3+ or 4+, representative of the ubiquitous nature of TGFbetaR-II in normal tissue. Overall, staining was reduced in prostate cancer sections, and there was progressively diminished staining as the histological grade of the cancer increased (P < 0.01, Kruskal-Wallis test). This immunohistochemical study indicates that a decline in the levels of TGFbetaR-II is correlated with advancing histological aggressiveness of the cancer and suggests that aberrant TGFbetaR-II function may play a role in human prostate carcinogenesis.
Williams
R H
RH
Scott Department of Urology and Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Stapleton
A M
AM
Yang
G
G
Truong
L D
LD
Rogers
E
E
Timme
T L
TL
Wheeler
T M
TM
Scardino
P T
PT
Thompson
T C
TC
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II