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Immunohistochemical analysis of β‐tubulin isotypes in human prostate carcinoma and benign prostatic hypertrophy
Author(s) -
Ranganathan Sulabha,
Salazar Hernando,
Benetatos Christopher A.,
Hudes Gary R.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
the prostate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.295
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1097-0045
pISSN - 0270-4137
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0045(19970301)30:4<263::aid-pros6>3.0.co;2-m
Subject(s) - prostate , immunohistochemistry , carcinoma , muscle hypertrophy , medicine , pathology , prostate carcinoma , urology , cancer
BACKGROUND β‐tubulin, the intracellular target of several antimicrotubule agents, is encoded by at least six genes and exists as multiple isotypes with tissue‐specific expression. Previous in vitro studies indicated that tubulin isotype composition may affect polymerization properties, dynamics, and sensitivity to drugs. METHODS To investigate the isotype composition of β‐tubulin in human prostate, tissues were collected from 26 patients after radical prostatectomy and sections were stained with isotype‐specific antibodies. RESULTS β IV tubulin is the predominant isotype in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and adenocarcinoma, showing significantly stronger immunohistochemical expression than β II and β III , particularly in Gleason's grade 3 and 4 cancers. Staining for the β II isotype was invariably weak and often absent in BPH and normal glands. There was a marked increase in β II isotype stain from BPH to cancer in 77% of the patients, suggesting that the expression of this isotype is related to malignant status. CONCLUSIONS The β II tubulin isotype is a potential marker for prostate adenocarcinoma. The possibility that tumor β‐tubulin isotype composition may effect the response to anti‐microtubule drug therapy in prostate cancer and other tumors merit investigation. Prostate 30:263–268, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.