Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin in semen: a marker for early detection of prostate cancer?
OBJECTIVE
The beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) has been detected in prostate cancer by immunologic and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques. Recently, prostate cells have been detected in human ejaculate. This study aimed to determine if beta-hCG could be detected by RT-PCR from prostatic mRNA isolated from semen, thus providing a noninvasive procedure for prostate cancer detection.


RESULTS
Expression of beta-hCG in prostate cancer was confirmed by immunohistochemistry methods. The protein was associated with low-grade disease: Gleason Score 4 through 7 (N = 26; 69%) but not high-grade (Gleason 8 or 9) or metastatic (lymph node) disease (N = 12; 8%). Normal prostate tissue was negative for beta-hCG (N = 14). The beta-hCG RT-PCR was performed on RNA extracted from seven human prostate cancer cell lines, which showed variable expression of beta-hCG mRNA. Semen was collected from patients suspected of having carcinoma of the prostate (N = 94) and from volunteers who were under the age of 30 years and had no family history of prostate cancer (N = 9). mRNA for beta-hCG was detected in the ejaculates of 12% of the patients with confirmed prostate cancer (N = 42) but not in any patients found to be negative for cancer (N = 52). Expression of beta-hCG mRNA was found in 22% of the control samples.


CONCLUSIONS
The beta-hCG protein is expressed in low-grade prostate cancer and can be detected by RT-PCR in both prostate cancer cell lines and human ejaculate. However, the low percentage of detection in ejaculate suggests that beta-hCG in semen does not provide a useful marker for early prostate cancer detection.
Daja
M M
MM
Oncology Research Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. p.russell@unsw.edu.au
Aghmesheh
M
M
Ow
K T
KT
Rohde
P R
PR
Barrow
K D
KD
Russell
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger