title: Caspase 3 expression in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apoptotic resistance to androgen ablation represents a significant problem in the treatment of prostate cancer. Over expression of antiapoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and mutations in p53 contribute to this resistance. The caspase family of proteases are central executioners of the cell death pathway. They are expressed in normal prostate secretory epithelial cells. Altered expression may represent an additional component leading to cell resistance. The aim of this study was to determine by immunohistochemistry caspase 3 expression in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients with histologically determined prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were investigated. All specimens were obtained from patients undergoing surgical resection of the prostate. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections to assess caspase 3 expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caspase 3 was expressed in 18/22 (81.1%) samples, with high expression in BPH which demonstrated staining in both basal and secretory epithelial cells. Increasing grades of prostatic cancer showed a significant loss of expression in secretory epithelial layers and little staining in epithelial cells in high-grade prostatic carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Altered caspase 3 expression may represent an additional mechanism of apoptotic resistance to androgen ablation. Prostate 47:183-188, 2001.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, University College Dublin, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Boran
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Keane
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Coffey
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Hegarty
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hegarty
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Gaffney
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases