Immunohistochemical expression of Hsp60 correlates with tumor progression and hormone resistance in prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of Hsp60 protein in prostate cancer biopsy samples, and its association with prognostic clinical parameters and hormone resistance and survival. Molecular chaperones are involved in protein folding, protein degradation, and protein trafficking among subcellular compartments.


METHODS
We selected 107 patients with localized and locally advanced prostate cancer at our hospital from 1999 through 2004. We performed an analysis by western blot and immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Clinical data were used to determine associations between immunohistochemical expression of Hsp60 and tumor behavior.


RESULTS
The expression level of Hsp60 was significantly increased in tumors with high Gleason score (P < .001). Hsp60 expression was also significantly associated with initial serum PSA levels (P < .01) and with the presence of lymph node metastasis (P < .003). In 50 locally advanced cancers treated by androgen ablation we found an association between high Hsp60-expressing tumors and an early onset of hormone refractory disease (P < .02) and reduced cancer-specific survival (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Hsp60 protein is overexpressed in poorly differentiated prostate cancers. Hsp60 expression is strongly associated with prognostic clinical parameters, such as Gleason score, initial serum PSA levels, and lymph node metastasis and with the onset of hormone-refractory disease and reduced cancer-specific survival. Identification of such markers could be of relevance in the clinical management of prostate cancer.
Castilla
Carolina
C
Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain.
Congregado
Belén
B
Conde
José M
JM
Medina
Rafael
R
Torrubia
Francisco J
FJ
Japón
Miguel A
MA
Sáez
Carmen
C
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000728:Androgens; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000032:analysis*; D018450:Disease Progression; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000728:Androgens; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen