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Placental bone morphogenetic protein (PLAB) gene expression in normal, pre‐malignant and malignant human prostate: Relation to tumor development and progression
Author(s) -
Thomas Regi,
True Lawrence D.,
Lange Paul H.,
Vessella Robert L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.1291
Subject(s) - metastasis , prostate cancer , bone morphogenetic protein , prostate , bone metastasis , cancer research , pathology , metastasis suppressor gene , tumor progression , biology , cancer , primary tumor , medicine , gene , genetics
The second most common target of prostate‐cancer metastasis is bone, and the phenomenon of skeletal metastasis represents the incurable stage of disease. Histologically, skeletal metastasis from prostate cancer is distinctive due to its osteoblastic nature. The osteoblastic bone metastasis shows extensive new bone formation, with possible involvement of the soluble growth factors secreted by tumor cells, such as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). In the present study, we analyzed the gene expression of one of the new members of the BMP family, placental bone morphogenetic protein (PLAB). In situ hybridization studies showed high levels of this gene in normal prostate. However, the gene is down‐regulated during the progression of cancer at the primary site. The most significant finding was re‐expression of the PLAB gene in osseous metastatic lesions. Our results demonstrate that tumor cells, when released from the primary site and after re‐growth elsewhere, are capable of re‐expressing specific genes that may play a different role at metastatic sites than at the primary site. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.