An increase in N-Ras expression is associated with development of hormone refractory prostate cancer in a subset of patients.
Protein expression of H, K and N-Ras was assessed in hormone sensitive and hormone refractory prostate tumour pairs from 61 patients by immunohistochemistry. Expression of H-Ras and K- Ras was not associated with any known clinical parameters. In contrast an increase in N-Ras membrane expression in the transition from hormone sensitive to hormone refractory prostate cancer was associated with shorter time to relapse (p=0.01) and shorter disease specific survival (p=0.008). In addition, patients with an increase in N-Ras membrane expression had lower levels of PSA at relapse (p=0.02) and expression correlated with phosphorylated MAP kinase (p=0.010) and proliferation index (Ki67, p=0.02). These results suggest that in a subgroup patients N-Ras expression is associated with development of hormone refractory prostate cancer via activation of the MAP kinase cascade.
Traynor
Pamela
P
University Department of Surgery, Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
McGlynn
Liane M
LM
Mukhergee
Rono
R
Grimsley
Samuel J S
SJ
Bartlett
John M S
JM
Edwards
Joanne
J
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008297:Male; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras) / Q000378:metabolism*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012008:Recurrence
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras)