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Updated: Aug 19, 2026
miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues
Published on: September 8, 2015
Aurora-A over-expression in high-grade PIN lesions and prostate cancer
Holly McKlveen Buschhorn1, Robert R Klein, Susan M Chambers
1Department of Pathology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA. holly@email.arizona.edu
Background:
Over-expression of Aurora-A (Aurora 2 kinase, STK-15), a protein found in centrosomes thought to be associated with genetic instability, has been previously documented in prostate cancer [Pihan et al.: Cancer Res 61(5):2212-2219, 2001]. It is unknown if this protein is also over-expressed in high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) lesions.
Methods:
PIN lesions were examined for increased Aurora-A using immunohistochemical staining on archival paraffin embedded prostatectomy tissue. Aurora-A expression was scored using size, number, and staining intensity. Protein expression was examined and compared between stromal cells, normal glands, high-grade PIN lesions, and invasive cancer.
Results:
Immunohistochemistry shows an increased expression of Aurora-A in 96% of high-grade PIN cases, and 98% in cancer lesions. Twenty-nine percent of cases of normal glands from cancerous prostates also showed increased Aurora-A expression.
Conclusions:
Over-expression of Aurora-A is present in some normal and the majority of high-grade PIN lesions indicating that this may be an early event that leads to the genetic instability seen in prostate carcinogenesis.
