OBJECTIVES: To assess the expression of the cell surface protein B7-H3 in prostate cancer, and its association to clinically relevant parameters after radical prostatectomy and to the proliferation marker Ki-67.
METHODS: Radical prostatectomy specimens from a cohort of 130 patients with a median clinical follow up of 8 years were used for the analysis. The expression of B7-H3 and the proliferation marker Ki-67, as well as other standard clinicopathological parameters, were evaluated.
RESULTS: A high expression of B7-H3 was associated with pathological stage T3a and T3b, high Gleason score, extraprostatic extension, seminal vesicle invasion and high proliferative activity. Univariable analysis showed that a high expression level of B7-H3 was also correlated with biochemical failure and clinical relapse, and with the expression of Ki-67. A high expression level of Ki-67 was associated with clinical progression and a tendency towards higher rates of prostate-specific antigen relapse in multivariate analyses.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that a high expression level of B7-H3 in prostate cancer correlates with the expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67, biochemical failure and clinical relapse. Thus, expression of the cell surface molecule B7-H3 adds to the malignant phenotype of prostate cancer cells expressing high levels of Ki-67. The impact of B7-H3 function on prostate cancer and its potential role in immunotherapy should be explored further.
Written by:
Liu Y, Vlatkovic L, Saeter T, Servoll E, Waaler G, Nesland JM, Giercksky KE, Axcrona K. Are you the author?
Departments of Urology Surgery Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital University of Oslo, Oslo Department of Surgery, Sørlandet Sykehus, Arendal, Norway
Reference: Int J Urol. 2012 Apr 4
doi: 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2012.03017.x.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22487487