title: Co-expression and impact of prostate specific membrane antigen and prostate specific antigen in prostatic pathologies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was undertaken to relate the co-expression of prostate-associated antigens, PSMA and PSA, with the degree of vascularization in normal and pathologic (hyperplasia and cancer) prostate tissues to elucidate their possible role in tumor progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in 6 normal, 44 benign prostatic hyperplastic and 39 cancerous human prostates. Immunohistochemical analysis were performed using the monoclonal antibody CD34 to determine the angiogenic activity, and the monoclonal antibodies 3E6 and ER-PR8 to assess PSMA and PSA expression, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study we found that in normal prostate tissue, PSMA and PSA were equally expressed (3.7 ± 0.18 and 3.07 ± 0.11). A significant difference in their expression was see in hyperplastic and neoplastic prostates tissues (16.14 ± 0.17 and 30.72 ± 0.85, respectively) for PSMA and (34.39 ± 0.53 and 17.85 ± 1.21, respectively) for PSA. Study of prostate tumor profiles showed that the profile (PSA+, PSMA-) expression levels decreased between normal prostate, benign prostatic tissue and primary prostate cancer. In the other hand, the profile (PSA-, PSMA+) expression levels increased from normal to prostate tumor tissues. PSMA overexpression was associated with high intratumoral angiogenesis activity. By contrast, high PSA expression was associated with low angiogenesis activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that these markers are regulated differentially and the difference in their expression showed a correlation with malignant transformation. With regard to the duality PSMA-PSA, this implies the significance of their investigation together in normal and pathologic prostate tissues.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Immunology and Microbiology Environmental and Carcinogenesis, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, University of 7-November at Carthage, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Awatef
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Jemaa
authors.forename: Yosra
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bouraoui
authors.forename: Sataa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sallami
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banasr
authors.forename: Nawfel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ben Rais
authors.forename: Latifa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ouertani
authors.forename: Yassin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nouira
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horchani
authors.forename: Ridha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oueslati
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C473848:FOLH1 protein, human; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen