Caspase-3/CPP32 immunoreactivity and its correlation with frequency of apoptotic bodies in human prostatic carcinomas and benign nodular hyperplasias.
OBJECTIVE
Apoptosis is mediated by apoptosis-specific genes, certain oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. Caspase-3, a group of cystein proteases, is involved in the induction of apoptosis and has been considered to correlate with apoptosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether caspase-3 is expressed in prostatic carcinoma and benign prostatic hyperplasia, and correlated with the apoptosis.


RESULTS
We studied the apoptotic index and caspase-3 immunoreactivity in 40 cases of benign nodular hyperplasia (BPH) and 40 cases of prostate carcinoma (PCA) by in-situ labelling and immunohistochemistry. The mean number of apoptotic bodies in cases with BPH was not significantly different from cases with PCA I (Gleason score 2-4), but samples from patients with PCA II (Gleason score 5-7) and PCA III (Gleason score 8-10) showed a significantly higher apoptotic number than cases with BPH. Positive staining for caspase-3 was seen in 42.5% (17/40) of the BPH, and 27.5% (11/40) of the PCA: PCA I was 41.7% (5/12), PCA II 14.3% (2/14) and PCA III was 28.6% (4/14).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on our results, the number of apoptotic bodies was not correlated with the caspase-3 expression and there was no relationship between caspase-3 expression and Gleason score. However, the number of apoptotic bodies was significantly higher in cases with intermediate (Gleason score 5-7) and high-grade (Gleason score 8-10) PCAs than cases with BPH and low-grade PCAs (Gleason score 2-4).
Sohn
J H
JH
Departments of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
D H
DH
Choi
N G
NG
Park
Y E
YE
Ro
J Y
JY
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases