title: Ethnic and racial differences in prostate stromal estrogen receptor alpha.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates vary widely among individuals of different ethnic/racial groups. We identified a relationship between a subset of genes and race/ethnicity using gene expression profiling. Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) was selected for confirmation due to its plausible biological role in cancer susceptibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) was used to verify gene expression results. Protein levels of ERalpha were determined by quantitative immunohistochemistry in a large-scale tissue microarray study (n = 183).
  
  
  RESULTS
  ERalpha was significantly higher in stroma of Hispanic and Asian men than in Caucasian (P < 0.0001) and African American men (P < 0.0002), who are at higher risk for prostate cancer. In addition, large differences were seen in Q-PCR levels of ERalpha in prostate tissues of organ donors 16-29 years old who had no evidence of cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ERalpha exhibits variable expression in men of difference racial/ethnic background. Understanding the molecular basis for these differences may form the basis for prostate cancer prevention strategies with widespread public health impact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Program in Urologic Oncology, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. chaqq@itsa.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haqq
authors.forename: Rile
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khodabakhsh
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frolov
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ginzinger
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ayala
mesh_terms: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005006:Ethnicity; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011467:Prostate / Q000502:physiology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D044469:Racial Groups; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha