Antiprostasome antibodies: possible serum markers for prostate cancer metastasizing liability

Prostasomes are secretory granules synthesized, stored, and secreted by normal and neoplastic human prostate epithelial cells. In prostate cancer, they are anticipated to be released into the blood circulation where they may be immunogenic. The aim of our study was to examine whether prostasome antibody presence in serum bears any prognostic significance for men with prostate cancer. We developed a sensitive and specific immunoassay (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) to establish the presence of antiprostasome antibodies in serum. The antiprostasome antibody titer in serum, sampled before any kind of therapy for prostate cancer, was examined together with clinicopathologic variables and outcome over a median follow-up of 350 days in 218 patients with verified prostate cancer. We detected these antibodies in 191 (88%) of these patients. This antibody titer did not correlate to serum values of prostate-specific antigen. Significant, inverse relationships were registered for antiprostasome antibody titer, and metastases to bone and/or lymph nodes (P = 0.035) and pT (P = 0.025). These results indicate that the antiprostasome antibody titer in serum may be a novel marker for prostate cancer liability to metastasize.