title: Reelin expression in human prostate cancer: a marker of tumor aggressiveness based on correlation with grade.
abstract: Reelin is a glycoprotein that plays a critical role in the regulation of neuronal migration during brain development and, since reelin has a role in the control of cell migration, it might represents an important factor in cancer pathology. In this study, 66 surgical specimens of prostate cancer were analyzed for reelin expression by immunohistochemical method. The reelin expression was correlated with Gleason score and individual Gleason patterns. Reelin expression was found in 39% prostate cancers. Stromal tissues, normal epithelial cells and prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) of any grade around and distant from cancer were always negative for reelin. Reelin was found in malignant prostatic epithelial glands of 50% cases Gleason score 10, 52% Gleason score 9, 56% Gleason score 8, 18% Gleason score 7, while no sample of prostate cancers with Gleason score 6 showed reelin expression (P=0,005). As reelin staining is frequently found in high Gleason score prostate cancers, we explored whether reelin expression is influenced by single Gleason patterns. While Gleason 3 pattern did not show reelin immunoreactivity, reelin expression was found in 35% Gleason 4 patterns and 45% Gleason 5 patterns (P<0.001). Our results demonstrated for the first time that reelin is expressed in prostate cancer and not in benign prostate tissue and its expression occurs in higher Gleason score and correlates significantly with increasing of single Gleason patterns. This suggests reelin may behave as a specific histological marker and may represent a useful biomarker to predict aggressive phenotypic behavior of prostatic cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy. g.perrone@unicampus.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vincenzi
authors.forename: Mariagiovanna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zagami
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Panteri
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flammia
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verzì
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lepanto
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bazan
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Tomasino
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morello
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rabitti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000091042:Reelin Protein; C000717127:RELN protein, human; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases