PRK1 distribution in normal tissues and carcinomas: overexpression and activation in ovarian serous carcinoma

Protein kinase C-related kinases are regulated by phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and Rho family GTPases. The isoform PRK1 has been characterized in detail in prostate cancer, but not in other carcinomas. We analyzed our prior microarray data for PRK1 gene expression in 175 carcinomas and evaluated tissue microarrays for protein expression in 251 carcinomas and a comprehensive group of normal tissues. We also used immunoblotting to determine the levels and phosphoactivation status of PRK1, PRK2, and PDK1 in 12 ovarian serous carcinomas, SKOV3 cells, and 3 samples of normal ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). The highest average level of PRK1 messenger RNA was observed in ovarian serous carcinomas compared with all other carcinomas, including those of the prostate, bladder/ureter, breast, colon, stomach/esophagus, kidney, liver, pancreas, and lung (P = .05). By immunohistochemistry, PRK1 was observed in selected normal cells, including epithelium from the gynecologic tract and hematolymphoid elements. All serous ovarian and endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinomas and mesotheliomas were immunoreactive for PRK1. The findings in nonserous ovarian and most carcinomas from the prostate, breast, and pancreas were also positive but less consistently so. In comparison with OSE, the serous carcinomas typically had greater pPRK1/total PRK1 (P = .02) as well as greater pPDK/total PDK (P = .01). The relative phosphorylation status of these 2 kinases correlated within each sample. In summary, PRK1 is present in various malignancies, but especially in serous carcinomas, where the increased activation status of PRK1 and its upstream regulator, PDK, as compared with normal OSE suggests a role in ovarian cancer development or progression.