Objective: To investigate the expressions of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p-ERK in benign and malignant prostate tissues, and whether it can be used as a marker for the prognosis of advanced prostate cancer (PCa).
Methods: Using immunohistochemical Envision, we detected the expressions of ERK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 in 20 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 40 cases of advanced PCa and analyzed their correlation with PCa metastasis, Gleason score, PSA level, and prognosis.
Results: The expression of ERK1/2 was remarkably higher in the advanced PCa than in the BPH cases (82.5% vs 55%, P<0.05), which was not associated with cancer metastasis, Gleason score, PSA level, or survival time of the patients with advanced PCa, and so was that of p-ERK1/2 (75.0% vs 35%, P<0.05), which was not associated with the Gleason score or PSA level of the PCa patients, either. The expression rates of p-ERK in the metastasis, non-metastasis, survival >5 yr, and survival ≤ 5 yr groups were 61.9%, 89.5%, 57.9%, and 90.5%, respectively, with statistically significant differences among these groups (P<0.05).
Conclusions: ERK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 proteins are highly expressed in advanced PCa and p-ERK1/2 is associated with the metastasis and prognosis of advanced PCa.
目的： 探讨细胞外信号调节激酶（ERK）及其磷酸化状态（p-ERK）在晚期前列腺癌（PCa）组织中的表达，判断其能否作为晚期前列腺癌预后的标志物。方法： 应用免疫组化(Envision)法检测20例BPH组织及40例PCa组织中ERK1/2及其p-ERK1/2的表达，并分析其与PCa转移（侵袭力）、Gleason评分、PSA水平以及预后的关系。结果： ①ERK1/2的表达：BPH中表达率为55.0%，PCa中表达率为82.5%，有显著性差异（P<0.05）；与晚期PCa侵袭力、Gleason评分、PSA水平、生存时间无关联(P>0.05)；②p-ERK1/2的表达：BPH中表达率为35.0%，PCa中表达率为75.0%，有显著性差异（P<0.05）；而与Gleason评分、PSA水平无关联(P>0.05)；在转移和未转移组、生存时间>5年与生存时间≤5年组中阳性表达率分别为：61.9%、89.5%、57.9%、90.5%，有显著性差异（P<0.05）。结论： ERK1/2、p-ERK1/2在晚期前列腺癌组织中高表达，ERK磷酸化与晚期PCa侵袭力及预后有关。.
Keywords: ERK1/2; p-ERK1/2; phosphorylation; prognosis; advanced prostate cancer.