Plasma levels of trefoil factors are increased in patients with advanced prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Through cDNA array analyses and immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays, trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) was recently shown to be overexpressed in prostate cancer. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of using the levels of trefoil factors as a plasma marker for prostate cancer.


METHODS
In 79 patients with prostate cancer, 23 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, and 44 healthy individuals plasma TFF1, TFF2, and TFF3 were determined with ELISAs and compared with clinical stage and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values. Plasma levels of TFF were compared with the immunohistochemical expression of TFF and chromogranin A in 30 prostate cancer tissue samples.


RESULTS
Patients with advanced prostate cancer had significantly higher plasma concentrations of TFF1, TFF2, and TFF3 (P < 0.01) compared with patients with localized disease. Using a cutoff of 200 pmol/L, the sensitivity and specificity of plasma TFF3 in differentiating between patients with localized and advanced disease was 74% (59-85%) and 81% (66-91%). Plasma levels of TFF3 were highest in patients with bone metastases (P = 0.008). Patients with serum PSA >10 microg/L had significantly higher plasma TFF3 values than patients with serum PSA <10 microg/L (P = 0.03) and TFF3 levels were higher in patients with Gleason sums of > or = 7 (P = 0.02). Expression of TFF1 and TFF3 determined by immunohistochemistry was increased in patients with prostate cancer but did not correlate with plasma trefoil factor values.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma levels of trefoil factors are increased in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the predictive utility of trefoil factors in prostate cancer.
Vestergaard
Else Marie
EM
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. else.marie.vestergaard@dadlnet.dk
Borre
Michael
M
Poulsen
Steen Seier
SS
Nexø
Ebba
E
Tørring
Niels
N
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
D010455:Peptides; C051838:TFF1 protein, human; C000604007:TFF2 protein, human; C082495:TFF3 protein, human; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen