Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 in human prostate carcinoma and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia-association with increased expression of Polo-like kinase-1.
BACKGROUND
Cyclooxygenases (COX) as well as Polo-like kinases (PLK) are involved in proliferation and cell cycle regulation and have been suggested for preventive and therapeutic approaches in prostate carcinoma.


METHODS
In this study, we studied expression and prognostic impact of COX-2 in invasive prostate carcinoma, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), atrophic glands, and normal prostatic glands, and investigated the association between COX-2 and PLK-1.


RESULTS
We observed a positivity for COX-2 in 72.1% of PIN and in 44.7% of prostate carcinomas with an overexpression of COX-2 in prostate cancer and PIN compared to benign prostatic tissue (P < 0.0005). Furthermore, we observed a strong correlation between expression of PLK-1 and COX-2 (P < 0.0005).


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first report of a correlation between COX-2 and PLK-1 in a malignant tumor. COX-2 and PLK-1 may be interesting targets for new molecular therapies in prostate cancer.
Denkert
Carsten
C
Institute of Pathology, Charité Hospital, Berlin, Germany. carsten.denkert@charite.de
Thoma
Andrea
A
Niesporek
Silvia
S
Weichert
Wilko
W
Koch
Ines
I
Noske
Aurelia
A
Schicktanz
Hanka
H
Burkhardt
Mick
M
Jung
Klaus
K
Dietel
Manfred
M
Kristiansen
Glen
G
D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011467:Prostate / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D019048:Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1