Soler A P, Harner G D, Knudsen K A, McBrearty F X, Grujic E, Salazar H, Han A C, Keshgegian A A
Lankenau Medical Research Center, Wynnewood, PA 19096, USA.
Am J Pathol. 1997 Aug;151(2):471-8.
Cadherins constitute a family of calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecules the individual members of which are essential for the sorting of cells into tissues during development. In this study, we examined the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and P-cadherin in tissues obtained from radical prostatectomies. Epithelial cells of prostatic glands, ejaculatory ducts, and seminal vesicles expressed E-cadherin but not N-cadherin. P-cadherin was expressed in epithelial cells of the seminal vesicles and ejaculatory ducts. In the prostate it was limited to the basal cells of prostatic acini, glands with basal cell hyperplasia, and atrophic glands denuded of the luminal cells. All P-cadherin-positive cells were negative for prostatic-specific antigen. Prostatic cancers were mostly P-cadherin negative, but some tumors had P-cadherin-positive areas frequently located close to ejaculatory ducts and negative for prostatic-specific antigen. The mutually exclusive expression of P-cadherin and prostatic-specific antigen suggests that these proteins are involved in differential mechanisms of cell regulation in prostate cancer. P-cadherin may become a useful marker in the diagnosis and management of patients with prostate cancer and low levels of prostatic-specific antigen.
钙黏蛋白构成了一个钙依赖性细胞间黏附分子家族，其各个成员对于发育过程中细胞向组织的分选至关重要。在本研究中，我们检测了从根治性前列腺切除术中获取的组织中E-钙黏蛋白、N-钙黏蛋白和P-钙黏蛋白的表达。前列腺腺上皮细胞、射精管和精囊表达E-钙黏蛋白，但不表达N-钙黏蛋白。P-钙黏蛋白在精囊和射精管的上皮细胞中表达。在前列腺中，它局限于前列腺腺泡的基底细胞、基底细胞增生的腺体以及缺乏管腔细胞的萎缩性腺体。所有P-钙黏蛋白阳性细胞均为前列腺特异性抗原阴性。前列腺癌大多为P-钙黏蛋白阴性，但一些肿瘤有P-钙黏蛋白阳性区域，这些区域常靠近射精管且前列腺特异性抗原阴性。P-钙黏蛋白和前列腺特异性抗原的相互排斥表达表明，这些蛋白质参与了前列腺癌细胞调节的不同机制。P-钙黏蛋白可能成为前列腺特异性抗原水平较低的前列腺癌患者诊断和管理中的有用标志物。
