Expression of prostate-specific membrane antigen in normal and malignant human tissues.
BACKGROUND
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is upregulated in androgen-dependent prostate carcinoma and it has been targeted for immunotherapy and diagnosis of this cancer. However, this protein is also expressed in other tissues. The objective of this study is to investigate its expression in normal and malignant human tissues.


METHODS
Using monoclonal antibodies 24.4E6 (specific for residues 638-657) and 7E11.C5 (specific for the transmembrane domain of PSMA), immunohistochemical detection of PSMA was performed in surgical specimens.


RESULTS
Prostate-specific membrane antigen was detected in the epithelium of prostate, urinary bladder, proximal tubules of kidney, liver, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, breast, fallopian tubes and testicular seminiferous tubules, hippocampal neurons and astrocytes, ependyma, cortex and medulla of the adrenal gland, and ovary stroma. It was also detected in neoplasms of the prostate, kidney, urinary bladder, stomach, small intestine, colon, lung, adrenal gland, and testis. It was not detected in normal seminal vesicles or the lung.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate that PSMA is widely distributed in normal tissues, and, depending on the tumors, its expression is up- or down-regulated, or unchanged. The broad distribution of PSMA may make it suitable for the diagnosis and therapy of a wide variety of tumors.
Department of Urology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA.
Yoshihisa
Y
Kinoshita
Katsuyuki
K
Kuratsukuri
Steve
S
Landas
Katsumi
K
Imaida
Peter M
PM
Rovito
Ching Y
CY
Wang
Gabriel P
GP
Haas
D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000473:pathology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C473848:FOLH1 protein, human; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II