title: Expression analysis and clinical utility of L-Dopa decarboxylase (DDC) in prostate cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  L-Dopa decarboxylase (DDC) is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme that was found to be involved in many malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the mRNA expression levels of DDC in prostate tissues and to evaluate its clinical utility in prostate cancer (CaP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Total RNA was isolated from 118 tissue specimens from benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and CaP patients and a highly sensitive quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) method for DDC mRNA quantification has been developed using the SYBR Green chemistry. LNCaP prostate cancer cell line was used as a calibrator and GAPDH as a housekeeping gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DDC was found to be overexpressed, at the mRNA level, in the specimens from prostate cancer patients, in comparison to those from benign prostate hyperplasia patients (p<0.001). Logistic regression and ROC analysis have demonstrated that the DDC expression has significant discriminatory value between CaP and BPH (p<0.001). DDC expression status was compared with other established prognostic factors, in prostate cancer. High expression levels of DDC were found more frequently in high Gleason's score tumors (p=0.022) as well as in advanced stage patients (p=0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data reveal the potential of DDC expression, at the mRNA level, as a novel biomarker in prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Margaritis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avgeris
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koutalellis
authors.forename: Emmanuel G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Fragoulis
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scorilas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004296:Dopa Decarboxylase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D024581:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (Phosphorylating) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012372:ROC Curve; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D024581:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (Phosphorylating); D004296:Dopa Decarboxylase