Immunohistochemical Study of p53 and E-cadherin Proteins in Prostate Carcinoma

Maeng, Lee So; Kim, Won Il; Lee, Kyo Young; Kim, Young Shin; Kang, Chang Suk; Shim, Sang In

Abstract

Considerable controversy exists concerning the value of histomorphological data in the assessment of the malignant potential of prostate carcinomas. Mutations in the p53 gene resulting in the accumulation of altered p53 proteins with prolonged half-life have been found in a large variety of human malignancies. E-Cadherin is a specific epithelial cell-to- cell adhesion molecule which has previously been found to be expressed in well-differentiated non-invasive carcinoma cell lines, but it is lost in many poorly differentiated invasive cell lines. We performed immunohistochemical staining of p53 and E-cadherin in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues of 58 primary prostatic carcinomas. The expression rates of p53 and E-cadherin proteins in prostate carcinoma were positive in 15.5% and 44.8% of the cases, respectively. Histologically high-grade prostate carcinoma shows an increased expression of the p53 protein and a decreased one of the E-cadherin protein (P<0.05). The expression rates of the E-cadherin protein in prostate carcinoma decreased significantly according to the higher clinical stages and PSA levels (P<0.05). There was no accordance between the expression rate of p53 and E-cadherin. There were no significant correlation between each of the clinical stages and the expression rate of p53 protein or the PSA levels and the expression rates of p53 protein (P<0.05). Based on the present study, the expression of p53 and down regulation of E-cadherin are correlated with tumor progression and metastasis, and may be a useful prognostic factor in prostate carcinoma.