The potential of tumour microenvironment markers to stratify the risk of recurrence in prostate cancer patients

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 28;15(12):e0244663. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244663. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The tumour micro-environment (TME) plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). Here we studied the potential of a selected panel of TME-markers to predict clinical recurrence (CLR) in PCa. Patient cohorts were matched for the presence or absence of CLR 5 years post-prostatectomy. Tissue micro-arrays (TMA) were composed with both prostate non-tumour (PNT) and PCa tissue and subsequently processed for immunohistochemistry (IHC). The IHC panel included markers for cancer activated fibroblasts (CAFs), blood vessels and steroid hormone receptors ((SHR): androgen receptor (AR), progesterone receptor (PR) and estrogen receptor (ER)). Stained slides were digitalised, selectively annotated and analysed for percentage of marker expression with standardized and validated image analysis algorithms. A univariable analysis identified several TME markers with significant impact on CR: expression of CD31 (vascular marker) in PNT stroma, expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) in PCa stroma, and PR expression ratio between PCa stroma and PNT stroma. A multivariable model, which included CD31 expression (vascular marker) in PNT stroma and PR expression ratio between PCa stroma and PNT stroma, could significantly stratify patients for CLR, with the identification of a low risk and high-risk subgroup. If validated and confirmed in an independent prospective series, this subgroup might have clinical potential for PCa patient stratification.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prostatectomy
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / surgery
  • Receptors, Androgen / metabolism
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • Receptors, Progesterone / metabolism
  • Tissue Array Analysis / methods*
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • ACTA2 protein, human
  • AR protein, human
  • Actins
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • PECAM1 protein, human
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Receptors, Androgen
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Receptors, Progesterone

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Josef De Wever Fonds (Leuven, Belgium) and the Foundation Yvonne Boël (Brussels, Belgium). The CMMI is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and the Walloon Region (Belgium). FC and SJ received grant GOA/15/017 from the KU Leuven Research Council. CD is a senior research associate supported by the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (Brussels, Belgium).