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Quantitation of NM23 expression in human prostate tissues
J R Fishman1, P H Gumerlock, F J Meyers
1Department of Urology, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento.
The Journal of Urology
|July 1, 1994
Summary
The NM23 gene family, including nm23-H1 and nm23-H2, shows altered expression in prostate cancer. NM23-H2 expression decreases with tumor stage, while the nm23-H1/nm23-H2 ratio increases, indicating roles in metastasis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- The NM23 gene family, comprising nm23-H1 and nm23-H2, is implicated in cancer metastasis.
- Understanding the differential expression of these genes in prostate cancer is crucial for assessing metastatic potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate nm23-H1 and nm23-H2 gene expression in benign and malignant human prostate tissues.
- To correlate NM23 gene expression with varying stages of prostate cancer.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Polymerase Chain Reaction analysis of mRNA (RNA/PCR) to quantify nm23-H1 and nm23-H2 transcript levels.
- Employed a normalizing gene (c-N-ras) for accurate relative expression determination.
- Analyzed tissue specimens from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), primary prostate adenocarcinomas (CaP) across stages B, C, and D1, metastatic lymph nodes, and prostate cancer cell lines.
Main Results:
- A significant difference in nm23-H2 expression was observed between BPH and metastatic prostate cancer cell lines (p = 0.037).
- The nm23-H1/nm23-H2 gene expression ratio significantly differed between BPH and metastatic cell lines (p = 0.037).
- The nm23-H1/nm23-H2 ratio showed a significant increase (p = 0.026) from BPH through CaP stages to cell lines, while nm23-H2 expression significantly decreased (p = 0.002).
Conclusions:
- NM23-H2 expression levels are significant in characterizing prostate cancer stages.
- Both nm23-H1 and nm23-H2 warrant further investigation to fully understand the metastatic phenotype in prostate cancer.