Abundant expression of AMACR in many distinct tumour types.
OBJECTIVE
Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR), a mitochondrial and peroxisomal enzyme, is a valuable tool to confirm the diagnosis of prostate cancer, especially if combined with basal cell markers. To extend this diagnostic utility to other neoplasias, we comprehensively surveyed AMACR expression in human tumours.


METHODS
We performed immunohistochemical analyses on tissue microarrays of AMACR expression in over 125 different human tumour types and 80 normal tissues.


RESULTS
Microarray analysis revealed that tumours with prominent AMACR expression included adenocarcinomas of the prostate (72%), hepatocellular carcinomas (77%), papillary renal cell carcinomas (70%), and colorectal adenocarcinomas (71%). AMACR expression was equally frequent in colorectal adenomas and carcinomas. No significant difference in AMACR expression between untreated and hormone-refractory prostate cancers was observed. In the thyroid, AMACR expression was found in 42% of the follicular carcinomas but in only 16% of follicular adenomas. However, a more detailed analysis on a thyroid tissue microarray did not confirm a significant difference of AMACR expression in follicular adenoma and carcinomas.


CONCLUSIONS
Taken together, the results indicate that AMACR is expressed in a wide variety of adenocarcinomas, and its diagnostic utility is restricted to specific areas.
Went
Philip T
PT
Institutes for Pathology, University of Basel, Switzerland. pwent@uhbs.ch
Sauter
Guido
G
Oberholzer
M
M
Bubendorf
Lukas
L
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019998:Racemases and Epimerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019998:Racemases and Epimerases; C108352:alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase