DNA FINGERPRINT DETECTION OF SOMATIC MUTATIONS IN BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA AND PROSTATIC ADENOCARCINOMA

Genetic alterations within diseased prostate tissue were analysed by g enomic DNA fingerprinting using a minisatellite probe (lambda 33.6), a simple repetitive oligonucleotide probe (GTG)(5), and an additional h uman multilocus probe (pV47-2). In prostatic adenocarcinoma, somatic m utations were detected in 77% of the samples compared with 38% of the benign prostatic hyperplasia samples. No correlation was evident with either the tissue histopathology or the grading or staging classificat ion of the malignant tissue. Because one of the probes (pV47-2) did no t demonstrate any changes in the tumour tissue, and because the probes exhibited specificity for different regions of the genome, it is poss ible to conclude that mutations occur widely throughout the genome, pe rhaps with the exception of certain domains. The results suggest that somatic mutations accompany the development of both benign and maligna nt pathologies of the prostate. Furthermore, benign prostatic hyperpla sia should be considered as a risk indicator for processes leading to prostatic adenocarcinoma. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.