Expression of prostate stem cell antigen in high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) and Ki-67 expression in normal-looking epithelium (NEp), atrophy, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and prostatic adenocarcinoma (PCa).


RESULTS
PSCA and Ki-67 were evaluated immunohistochemically in NEp, atrophy, HGPIN and PCa in 20 radical prostatectomies (RPs) and 20 cystoprostatectomies (CyPs). The proportions of PSCA positive cells and of cases with PSCA expression increased from NEp through atrophy and HGPIN to PCa. The differences between NEp and HGPIN and PCa and between atrophy and HGPIN and PCa were statistically significant for the away and adjacent locations, in both the RP and CyP groups. The differences between HGPIN and PCa were statistically significant in the RP group when it was away from PCa and in the CyP group when it was adjacent to and away from PCa. The values in the RPs were slightly greater than in the CyPs, the differences being not statistically significant. The proportions of Ki-67 positive nuclei increased from atrophy and NEp to HGPIN and PCa. The correlation between the proportion of Ki-67 positive nuclei and that of PSCA-positive cells was statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
PSCA expression, deregulated in atrophy and HGPIN, is a marker associated with neoplastic transformation of prostate cells, both in RPs and CyPs.
Section of Pathological Anatomy, United Hospitals and Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, Ancona, Italy.
Francesca
F
Barbisan
Roberta
R
Mazzucchelli
Alfredo
A
Santinelli
Marina
M
Scarpelli
Antonio
A
Lopez-Beltran
Liang
L
Cheng
Rodolfo
R
Montironi
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019048:Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C110843:PSCA protein, human