Ki-67 expression and BrdUrd incorporation as markers of proliferative activity in human prostate tumour models

The validity of the use of the monoclonal antibodies Ki-67 and anti-BrdUrd to evaluate proliferative activity of human prostate tumour models was studied. Growth of the transplantable PC-82 and PC-EW prostate tumours, as assessed by tumour volume measurements, was significantly correlated with the proliferative activity as reflected by BrdUrd incorporation into DNA (r = 0.64 and r = 0.78, respectively). The proliferative activity of PC-82 tumours detected by Ki-67 antigen expression paralleled the pattern observed with BrdUrd (r = 0.51) and a significant correlation (r = 0.60) between the results obtained with both markers was found. In growing PC-82 and PC-EW tumours only small variations in the Ki-67 and BrdUrd indices were observed. In contrast, Ki-67 expression in regressing PC-82 tumours varied considerably (2.7 +/- 2.2%). The BrdUrd index in regressing PC-82 tumours showed less variation (1.3 +/- 0.2%), but part of the BrdUrd-positive cells were found in the stromal (murine) part of the regressing tissue. It is concluded that the Ki-67 and BrdUrd proliferation markers are reliable parameters to monitor changes in growth of prostate tumour lines, but that in slow growing or regressing tumours Ki-67 and BrdUrd data should be interpreted with caution.