Immunohistochemical localization of T antigen-like substance in benign hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Peanut agglutinin was used in a lectin-anti-lectin immunoperoxidase technique to assess the status of T antigen-like substance in histological sections of benign hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Of 30 benign lesions 26 (86.7 per cent) had negative staining in the glandular epithelia and 4 showed uneven staining of the epithelial cells in a small proportion of the glands. Additionally, 15 of 30 benign lesions (50 per cent) had positive staining restricted to the basal myoepithelial cells in a variable proportion of the glands. All benign lesions demonstrated the presence of normal cryptic T antigen after neuraminidase digestion. Of 25 adenocarcinomas 14 (56 per cent) were positive and 7 (25 per cent) were negative for T antigen but demonstrated the presence of normal cryptic T antigen after neuraminidase digestion, and 4 (16 per cent) were negative for T and cryptic T antigens. Of 8 grade 1, 9 grade 2 and 8 grade 3 tumors, and 9 tumors from patients with bone metastases 3 (37.5 per cent), 8 (88.9 per cent), 7 (87.5 per cent) and 7 (77.8 per cent), respectively, were positive for T antigen or negative for T and cryptic T antigens. The results show a correlation between the status of T antigen-like substance and tumor grade as well as metastasis in patients with prostatic carcinoma.