title: [Relationship between TMPRSS2: ERG and the pathological grade of prostate cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between TMPRSS2: ERG gene fusion and the pathological grade of prostate cancer (PCa).
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected fresh prostatic tissue samples from 62 patients with PCa and another 10 with benign prostatic hyperplasia ( BPH) and included 9 cancer cell strains as the control. We examined the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene in the PCa samples by nest RT-PCR, compared the Gleason scores between the TMPRSS2:ERG-positive and -negative cases, and analyzed the association of TMPRSS2: ERG fusion with the pathological features of PCa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TMPRSS2: ERG fusion gene was detected in 28 (45.16%) of the PCa cases, but in none of the 10 BPH cases or the 9 cancer cell strains. No statistically significant differences were found in the Gleason scores between the TMPRSS2:ERG-positive and -negative cases (Z = -0.609, P = 0.542), but the primary Gleason score was markedly higher in the former than in the latter (Z = -2.600, P = 0.009). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that TMPRSS2:ERG was associated with the cribriform growth pattern (OR = 6.250, P = 0.002), foamy gland morphology (OR = 6.666, P = 0.023), and signet-ring cells (OR = 3.240, P = 0.035), but multivariate logistic regression analysis manifested that it was associated with the cribriform growth pattern only (OR = 3.750, P = 0.033).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion was associated with higher pathological grades of prostate cancer.
authors.forename: Fa-xian
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D050939:Gene Fusion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; C515553:TMPRSS2-ERG fusion protein, human