LOSS OF EXPRESSION OF TRANSFORMING-GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA RECEPTORS IS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR-PROGNOSIS IN PROSTATE-CANCER PATIENTS

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-P) its a potent inhibitor of prol iferation in most cells and exerts its effects through an interaction with membrane receptors type I (TGF-beta RI) and type II(TGF-beta RII) , Recently, we have demonstrated a correlation between the loss of exp ression of TGF-beta RI and TGF-beta RII and increasing Gleason score i n archival human prostate cancer tissues. To evaluate the potential pr ognostic value of this observation, the present study investigated the expression of TGF-beta receptors in association with disease progress ion after the initial diagnosis in 52 archival human prostate cancer t issues. The expression of both TGF-beta RI and TGF-beta RII was correl ated with the Gleason score, clinical tumor stage, 4-year survival rat e, and serological recurrence rate after radical prostatectomy, Result s revealed that there was a significant association between the Gleaso n score and the loss of expression of TGF-beta RI (P < 0.025) and TGF- beta RII (P < 0.01). However, only the loss of TGF-beta RI expression showed a statistically significant association with the clinical tumor stage (P < 0.05), 4-year survival rate (P < 0.05), and serological re currence rate after radical prostatectomy (P < 0,025), Therefore, thes e data indicate that the loss of TGF-beta RI expression as measured by immunohistochemical staining may be a potential prognostic marker in prostate cancer patients.