Detection of blood group antigens in frozen sections of prostatic epithelium

ABO blood group polymorphism has an impact on prostate, kidney and bladder cancer in association with longevity

The aim of the present study was to assess the ABO blood group polymorphism association with prostate, bladder and kidney cancer, and longevity. The following data groups were analyzed: Prostate cancer (n=2,200), bladder cancer (n=1,530), renal cell cancer (n=2,650), oldest-old (n=166) and blood donors (n=994) groups. The data on the ABO blood type frequency and odds ratio in prostate cancer patients revealed a significantly higher blood group B frequency (P<0.05); the pooled men and women, separate men bladder cancer risk was significantly associated with the blood group B (P<0.04); however, no such association was identified in the female patients. The blood group O was observed to have a significantly decreased risk of bladder cancer for females (P<0.05). No significance for the ABO blood group type in the studied kidney cancer patients was identified. A comparison of the oldest-old and blood donor groups revealed that blood group A was significantly more frequent and blood type B was significantly rarer in the oldest-olds (P<0.05). The results of the present study indicated that blood type B was associated with the risk of prostate and bladder cancer, and could be evaluated as a determinant in the negative assocation with longevity. Blood types O and A may be positive factors for increasing the oldest-old age likelihood. The clustering analysis by the ABO type frequency demonstrated that the oldest-olds comprised a separate cluster of the studied groups.

AB0/Rhesus Blood Group Does Not Influence Clinicopathological Tumor Characteristics or Oncological Outcome in Patients Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy

Objectives

AB0 blood group is an inherited characteristic that has been associated with the incidence as well as the prognosis of several malignancies. The aim of the current study was to clarify the role of the blood group in cancer epidemiology and clinical outcome of patients with prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods

Data from 3,574 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy between 2009 and 2010 at a single European institution were retrospectively analyzed. The correlation of AB0 and Rhesus blood group with PCa-related characteristics and oncological outcome were evaluated using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

Median follow-up was 36.9 months. The overall distributions of AB0, as well as Rhesus blood groups among patients with PCa, did not differ from the distribution observed in the normal population. There was no significant association between AB0/Rhesus blood groups and Gleason score, prostate volume, surgical margin, pT-stage, pN-status, or preoperative prostate-specific antigen level. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, no statistically significant correlation between AB0/Rhesus group and biochemical recurrence was observed (all p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Our data suggest no relevant association of AB0/Rhesus blood group with adverse clinicopathological tumor characteristics or oncological outcome after surgery in contrast to several other malignancies.

Carbohydrate sequence of the prostate cancer-associated antigen F77 assigned by a mucin O-glycome designer array

Monoclonal antibody F77 was previously raised against human prostate cancer cells and has been shown to recognize a carbohydrate antigen, but the carbohydrate sequence of the antigen was elusive. Here, we make multifaceted approaches to characterize F77 antigen, including binding analyses with the glycolipid extract of the prostate cancer cell line PC3, microarrays with sequence-defined glycan probes, and designer arrays from the O-glycome of an antigen-positive mucin, in conjunction with mass spectrometry. Our results reveal F77 antigen to be expressed on blood group H on a 6-linked branch of a poly-N-acetyllactosamine backbone. We show that mAb F77 can also bind to blood group A and B analogs but with lower intensities. We propose that the close association of F77 antigen with prostate cancers is a consequence of increased blood group H expression together with up-regulated branching enzymes. This is in contrast to other epithelial cancers that have up-regulated branching enzymes but diminished expression of H antigen. With knowledge of the structure and prevalence of F77 antigen in prostate cancer, the way is open to explore rationally its application as a biomarker to detect F77-positive circulating prostate cancer-derived glycoproteins and tumor cells.

Integration of the transcriptome and glycome for identification of glycan cell signatures

Abnormalities in glycan biosynthesis have been conclusively linked to many diseases but the complexity of glycosylation has hindered the analysis of glycan data in order to identify glycoforms contributing to disease. To overcome this limitation, we developed a quantitative N-glycosylation model that interprets and integrates mass spectral and transcriptomic data by incorporating key glycosylation enzyme activities. Using the cancer progression model of androgen-dependent to androgen-independent Lymph Node Carcinoma of the Prostate (LNCaP) cells, the N-glycosylation model identified and quantified glycan structural details not typically derived from single-stage mass spectral or gene expression data. Differences between the cell types uncovered include increases in H(II) and Le(y) epitopes, corresponding to greater activity of α2-Fuc-transferase (FUT1) in the androgen-independent cells. The model further elucidated limitations in the two analytical platforms including a defect in the microarray for detecting the GnTV (MGAT5) enzyme. Our results demonstrate the potential of systems glycobiology tools for elucidating key glycan biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. The integration of multiple data sets represents an important application of systems biology for understanding complex cellular processes.

N-glycan Cryptic Antigens as Active Immunological Targets in Prostate Cancer Patients

Although tumor-associated abnormal glycosylation has been recognized for decades, information regarding host recognition of the evolving tumor glycome remains elusive. We report here a carbohydrate microarray analysis of a number of tumor-associated carbohydrates for their serum antibody reactivities and potential immunogenicity in humans. These are the precursors, cores and internal sequences of N-glycans. They are usually masked by other sugar moieties and belong to a class of glyco-antigens that are normally “cryptic”. However, viral expression of these carbohydrates may trigger host immune responses. For examples, HIV-1 and SARS-CoV display Man9 clusters and tri- or multi-antennary type II (Galβ1→4GlcNAc) chains (Tri/m-II), respectively; viral neutralizing antibodies often target these sugar moieties. We asked, therefore, whether prostate tumor expression of corresponding carbohydrates triggers antibody responses in vivo. Using carbohydrate microarrays, we analyzed a panel of human sera, including 17 samples from prostate cancer patients and 12 from men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). We observed that IgG antibodies targeting the Man9- or Tri-/m-II-autoantigens are readily detectable in the sera of men with BPH, as well as those with cancer. Importantly, these antibody activities were selectively increased in prostate cancer patients. Thus, human immune systems actively recognize these N-glycan cryptic carbohydrates and produce targeting antibodies. This finding shads a light on a class of previously less studied immunological targets of human cancers. Identifying the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic values of these targets will require further investigation.

Histochemistry of the prostate

Histochemistry, including immunohistochemistry, is helpful to the practicing pathologist in the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma. Of equal importance, histochemistry is being increasingly used to study the pathobiology of the prostate. This article reviews these histochemical techniques and their applications.

A study of oligosaccharide determinants expressed by prostatic glandular epithelium of the normal adult rat

Normal prostates from Copenhagen/Fischer F1 hybrid rats were removed at 14 month of age. After routine formalin fixation and paraffin embedding, the expression of seven oligosaccharide structures by prostatic epithelial cells was assessed by an examination of lectin binding sites before and after neuraminidase digestion. Con-A bound to plasma membranes as well as the cytoplasm of all cells, thus confirming the presence of complex-type glycoconjugates. However, only two other oligosaccharides, apart from Con-A, were freely expressed on epithelial luminal plasma membranes. These were the Type I structure (Gal beta 1----3GalNAc-) identified by PNA-binding and (GlcNAc beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4-)n identified by WGA. PNA, WGA, UEA-1 and SBA bound to the cytoplasm of almost all epithelial cells, although their intracellular distribution was not identical. DBF binding was not identified. ECG bound to only a very few cells and then only after digestion with neuraminidase when it was localised to the cytoplasm. Following removal of sialic acid groups by neuraminidase digestion, PNA-binding became more prominent, SBA-binding appeared localized to paranuclear intracellular vesicles and WGA binding sites were abolished. This study has now characterized the major oligosaccharide determinants expressed by rat normal prostatic epithelial cells and provides a baseline against which alterations occurring during ontogenesis and oncogenesis may be compared.

Change in glycoconjugate for the binding site of the lectin Ulex europeus 1 following malignant transformation of prostatic epithelium

Immunoperoxidase techniques were used to detect Ulex europeus (UEA1) binding sites on benign and malignant prostatic epithelium. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) and cryostat sections were compared. In benign epithelium, less than 10% of cells on FFPE sections but between 50 and 90% of cells on cryostat sections expressed UEA1 binding sites. In malignant epithelium, more than 90% of cells bound UEA1, irrespective of whether FFPE or cryostat sections were used. Lipid solvents are required for FFPE (but not cryostat) processing and may cause glycolipid extraction. Glycoproteins are not affected. These results suggest that the UEA1 binding site is predominantly glycolipid-based in benign prostatic epithelium but, following malignant transformation, becomes predominantly glycoprotein-based.