Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Cathepsin D, MMP-2, and TIMP in Prostate Carcinoma

Shim, Jung Weon; Kim, Soon Ran; Kim, Yun Jung; Ahn, Hye Kyung; Park, Young Euy; Kim, Sung Sook; Kim, Min Young

Abstract

Twenty six cases of primary adenocarcinoma of the prostate, ranging from 4 to 9 according to Gleason's summing score, were studied. Immunoreactivity was evaluated using the rabbit polyclonal anti-Cathepsin D antibody (CD), a mouse monoclonal MMP-2 antibody (MMP-2), and a tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase (TIMP) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded prostatic tissue. Immunohistochemical staining was scored by summing the intensity of staining (0 to 3+) weighted by the percentage of tumor staining at each intensity (H score, theoretical range 0 to 300). For CD, the tumor cells showed diffuse cytoplasmic immunoreactivity in all 26 cases (100%). For MMP-2 the tumor cells showed cytoplasmic immunoreactivity in 17 of 26 cases (65.38%). As the Gleason grade increased the expression of CD increased (P=0.0027). The reactivity of CD was significantly correlated with the Gleason's score (R=0.65637), but, the reactivity of MMP-2 was not correlated. There were no significant correlations between each of the CD and the MMP-2 scores, and stage. TIMP expression was predominantly localized in the stroma rather than in the cancer cells themselves. We believe that 1) CD and MMP-2, both immunohistochemically detectable in a majority of prostate adenocarcinoma, may play a role in determination of the invasive or metastatic property, 2) the enhanced TIMP expression in the stroma may be associated with the response to cancer invasion.