REDUCED LEVELS OF TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA RECEPTOR-TYPE-II INHUMAN PROSTATE-CANCER - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

In previous studies we demonstrated that the growth of human prostatic adenocarcinoma is associated with aberrant accumulation of transformi ng growth factor (TGF) beta 1, a growth factor that has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of epithelial cell proliferation, We investigate d the expression of TGF-beta receptor II (TGF beta R-II) in benign pro state tissue and in prostate cancer using standard immunohistochemical techniques, Quantitation of immunopositivity for TGF beta R-II was as sessed on a visual analogue scale ranging from 0 (absence of staining) to 4+ (intensely positive staining), All of the benign glandular epit helia stained intensely, either 3+ or 4+, representative of the ubiqui tous nature of TGF beta R-II in normal tissue, Overall, staining was r educed in prostate cancer sections, and there was progressively dimini shed staining as the histological grade of the cancer increased (P < 0 .01, Kruskal-Wallis test), This immunohistochemical study indicates th at a decline in the levels of TGF beta R-II is correlated with advanci ng histological aggressiveness of the cancer and suggests that aberran t TGF beta R-II function may play a role in human prostate carcinogene sis.