title: Expression of p21(waf1/cip1), p27 (kip1), p63 and androgen receptor in low and high Gleason score prostate cancer.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of p21(waf1/cip1), p27(kip1), p63 and androgen receptor proteins in relation to serum prostate specific antigen levels in low and high Gleason score prostate cancers. Biopsies of patients suffering from prostate adenocarcinoma of low (3 + 3 to 3 + 4) and high (5 + 4 to 5 + 5) Gleason scores (13 cases each group) were immunostained for positive regulators of cell cycle control (p21(waf1/cip1) and p27(kip1)), and essential markers of normal prostate gland ontogeny (p63) and growth (androgen receptor) to find differentially expressed markers of malignant progression. Serum prostate specific antigen levels were also monitored at the time of biopsy and following anti-androgen therapy. All cases except one in each group were androgen receptor positive. P63 and p21(waf1/cip1) proteins detected in normal basal cell nuclei were lost in all but one studied tumors respectively. P27(kip1) protein, however, was detected in all low Gleason score prostate cancers, but it was found in only 7/13 high score cases. Prostate specific antigen levels, either pre- or post-treatment, did not show strict correlation with the p27(kip1) results. The low to high grade dedifferentiation of prostate adenocarcinoma is accompanied with the down-regulation of p27(kip1) protein, which may be an important molecular sign of the lost cell cycle control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Romics
authors.forename: Gergely
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bánfi
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Székely
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krenács
authors.forename: Béla
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szende
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; C436291:CDKN1B protein, human; C081876:CKAP4 protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen