Glycoprotein A-80 in the human prostate: immunolocalization in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, carcinoma, radiation failure, and after neoadjuvant hormonal therapy

• Published in: Urology (Ridgewood, N.J.) Vol. 61; no. 1; pp. 248 - 252
• Main Authors: Coogan, Christopher L, Bostwick, David G, Bloom, Kenneth J, Gould, Victor E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2003; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - chemistry; Adenocarcinoma - diagnosis; Adenocarcinoma - genetics; Androgen Antagonists - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Biological and medical sciences; Diagnosis, Differential; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Glycoproteins - analysis; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Prostate - chemistry; Prostate - surgery; Prostate-Specific Antigen - blood; Prostatectomy; Prostatic Hyperplasia - diagnosis; Prostatic Hyperplasia - genetics; Prostatic Hyperplasia - metabolism; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia - chemistry; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia - diagnosis; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia - genetics; Prostatic Neoplasms - chemistry; Prostatic Neoplasms - diagnosis; Prostatic Neoplasms - genetics; Tumors of the urinary system; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; Human; Precarcinogen; Treatment resistance; Urinary system disease; Prostate disease; Glycoprotein; Adenoma; Review; Malignant tumor; Radiotherapy; Neoadjuvant treatment; Immunology; Atypical; Hormone replacement therapy; Male genital diseases; Prostate; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0090-4295; 1527-9995
• DOI: 10.1016/S0090-4295(02)02061-7

To review the expression of A-80 in prostate cancer and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and compare it with that of normal and hyperplastic prostatic tissue. The ability to recognize cancer after androgen deprivation therapy and residual and/or recurrent cancer after radiotherapy using A-80 staining was also examined. A-80 is a glycoprotein linked to exocrine differentiation that shows little or no expression in normal exocrine cells, but is selectively overexpressed in dysplasias and adenocarcinomas.
We studied 277 prostate samples with a monoclonal antibody (MAb) to A-80. We applied this MAb to paraffin sections of specimens of fetal (n = 12), benign prostatic hyperplasia (n = 26, from transurethral prostate resection specimens), atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (n = 11), prostate cancer (n = 103, from radical prostatectomy specimens), and autopsy (n = 7) tissue. In addition, 54 prostatectomy specimens after androgen-deprivation therapy and 64 specimens after radiotherapy were similarly studied.
MAb A-80 stained the epithelial component of all 12 prostate specimens from fetal tissue; no staining was seen in normal adult prostatic tissue (0 of 7). In benign prostatic hyperplasia, sporadic cells reacted in 13% of cases (4 of 30); the atypical adenomatous hyperplasia samples were all negative (0 of 11). In patients with prostate cancer, more than 99% (102 of 103) stained positive, regardless of the grade or stage of cancer. Low and high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia reacted in 73% (38 of 52) and 92% (77 of 84) of cases, respectively. All 64 (100%) salvage prostatectomy samples after external beam radiotherapy stained positive for A-80. Carcinoma subsequent to neoadjuvant hormonal therapy stained positive in 98% (53 of 54) of cases.
A-80 is useful in differentiating benign prostatic hyperplasia and atypical adenomatous hyperplasia from prostate cancer. Also, the strong A-80 reactions in most high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia provide strong molecular support to the precancerous nature of the lesion. In particular, A-80 staining of biopsies may be useful in detecting residual and/or recurrent prostate carcinoma after radiation or hormonal therapy.