Study of TLR3, TLR4, and TLR9 in prostate carcinomas and their association with biochemical recurrence.
BACKGROUND
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have garnered an extraordinary amount of interest in cancer research due to their role in tumor progression. By activating the production of several biological factors, TLRs induce type I interferons and other cytokines, which drive an inflammatory response and activate the adaptive immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and clinical relevance of TLR3, 4, and 9 in prostate cancer.


METHODS
The expression levels of TLR3, TLR4, and TLR9 were analyzed on tumors from 133 patients with prostate cancer. The analyses were performed by immunohistochemistry on tissue arrays and real time-PCR.


RESULTS
Cancerous cells showed high expression levels of TLRs compared with controls. Samples of carcinomas with recurrence exhibited a significant increase in the mRNA levels of TLR3, TLR4, and TLR9. In addition, the tumors that showed high TLR3 or TLR9 expression levels were significantly associated with higher probability of biochemical recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
TLR expression is associated with prostate cancer with recurrence and the role of TLR receptors in the biology of malignancy merits study. Therapeutic strategies to boost or block TLRs may be of interest.
Unidad de Investigación, Hospital de Jove, Gijón, Spain. investigacion@hospitaldejove.com
Salomé
S
González-Reyes
Jesús M
JM
Fernández
Luis O
LO
González
Alina
A
Aguirre
Aurelio
A
Suárez
José M
JM
González
Safwan
S
Escaff
Francisco J
FJ
Vizoso
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012008:Recurrence; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495344:TLR3 protein, human; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9