[Proteases and prostatic disease: cytosolic cathepsin D].
OBJECTIVE
Cytosolic cathepsin D is a recognized predictor in breast cancer. This study was conducted to determine its behaviour in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. The changes according to prostate volume, its relation with other serum markers (PSA, PAP, etc.) in regard to tumor grade, stage and survival were analyzed.


METHODS
The study was carried out on 376 patients with prostatic disease that had been diagnosed from 1991-1996. Determination of cytosolic cathepsin D levels was performed on all samples of prostate tissue according to the CIS BioInternational Immunoradiometric study.


RESULTS
Cathepsin D values ranged from 0.2 to 86.5 pmol/mg (mean 14.9) in patients with BPH and higher values were found for prostates with a larger volume (p = 0.004). A significant difference was found between patients with and those without a bladder catheter (p = 0.024); values were higher in the former group of patients. Cathepsin D values ranged from 0.5 to 74 pmol/mg (mean 18.13) in patients with prostate cancer. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean values of patients with prostate cancer and those with BPH (p = 0.047). In patients with prostate cancer, a significant difference was also found between patients with and those without a catheter (p = 0.04). No relationship was found between cathepsin D and the other parameters analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
As in most of the literature reviewed, cytosolic cathepsin D was not found to be a predictor in prostate cancer. Furthermore, no correlation was found between cathepsin D and the other markers analyzed. The foregoing may be due to the small number of tumor samples and short follow-up.
Gómez Díaz
M E
ME
Hospital de Cabueñes, Gijón, Asturias, España.
Ruibal-Morell
A
A
Abascal García
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D002402:Cathepsin D