INCREASED EXPRESSION OF EARLY GROWTH RESPONSE-1 MESSENGER-RIBONUCLEIC-ACID IN PROSTATIC ADENOCARCINOMA

Purpose: We isolated genes whose expression differs between normal and malignant prostate. Materials and Methods: Differential display polym erase chain reactions revealed a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) wit h higher expression in prostatic adenocarcinoma versus age matched nor mal tissue. Deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing identified this mRNA as t he product of the early growth response-1 gene. Results: Early growth response-1 mRNA levels were elevated in 12 of 12 intraprostatic adenoc arcinomas but not in breast or ovarian cancers, or in rapidly dividing rat ventral prostate cells. Early growth response-1 mRNA was detected in epithelial and stromal cells at tumor margins but not in lymph nod e metastases. Conclusions: Early growth response-1, a nuclear transcri ption factor, is implicated in the growth and invasion of intraprostat ic cancers.