Transforming growth factor beta 1 and androgen receptors in prostate neoplasia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the interplay between transforming growth factor (TGF) beta 1, androgen receptors and stromal-epithelial interactions in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate carcinoma areas of prostate neoplasia.


METHODS
In this immunohistochemical study we investigated staining patterns and then determined the correlation between TGF-beta 1 expression and androgen receptor status in the epithelium and stroma of 60 paraffin-embedded tissues from radical prostatectomies.


RESULTS
Staining patterns differed in the epithelium and stroma of tumor and peritumor prostatic tissue. TGF-beta 1 immunostaining (H-scores) in the epithelium and stroma increased significantly from BPH to PIN and from BPH to prostate carcinoma in the epithelium (P < .05), whereas androgen receptor (AR) immunoreactivity significantly (P < .05) increased from BPH to PIN to prostatic carcinoma in epithelium and stroma. TGF-beta 1 did not correlate with histologic grade of differentiation, whereas AR proteins were more strongly expressed in Gleason score 5 and 6 than score 7 tumors (P < .05). Nonlinear regression showed a significant correlation (P < .01) between TGF-beta 1 and AR expression only in the stromal compartment of PIN.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings argue in favor of an interaction between TGF-beta 1 and AR in the early stages of prostate carcinogenesis and suggest that TGF-beta 1 plays a central role in stromal-epithelial interactions during the early stages of malignant transformation.
Cardillo
M R
MR
Department of Experimental Medicine and Pathology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. ME2494@mclink.it
Petrangeli
E
E
Salvatori
L
L
Ravenna
L
L
Di Silverio
F
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019048:Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta