Antiprostasome antibody titres in benign and malignant prostate disease.
BACKGROUND
Prostasomes are secretory granules synthesized, stored and secreted by normal and neoplastic human prostate epithelial cells and by prostate cancer metastasis. Prostasomes are postulated to be shed into the blood circulation in prostate cancer patients, where they may cause an immune response.


METHODS
An antiprostasome antibody ELISA was developed and used to measure serum antibody titres in 81 males with prostate cancer or benign prostate hyperplasia.


RESULTS
Patients with biopsy-verified prostate cancer had significantly higher antibody titres [p = 0.019 for the dominant tumour expression (first Gleason parameter) and p = 0.022 for the dominant and non-dominant form (first and second Gleason parameters)] than individuals with benign prostate hyperplasia or other benign prostate disorders. No correlation existed between antibody titres and PSA values.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the antiprostasome antibody titre in serum may be a novel prostate cancer marker not replacing, but rather supplementing, PSA.
Minelli
Alba
A
Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale Scienze Biochimiche, Sezione di Biochimica Cellulare, Università di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Ronquist
Gunnar
G
Carlsson
Lena
L
Mearini
Ettore
E
Nilsson
Ove
O
Larsson
Anders
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000276:immunology*
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen