Prostate Cancer with Intraluminal Inclusions: the Association of the Immunophenotype with Grade Score

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: To study the immunophenotype of prostate cancer (PC) with the presence and absence of intraluminal inclusions (IIn), depending on the grade score. METHODS: A total of 30 PC samples with IIn (group E) and 30 PC samples without them (group C) were studied. These groups were divided into 2 subgroups, depending on the grade of malignancy, which was determined according to the Gleason score as moderate and high-grade tumors. Macroscopic analysis, hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry (androgen receptors, p53 and Bax proteins, Hsp70 and Hsp90, CD68, VEGF, OSN, MMP-1) were used. RESULTS: The expression level of VEGF was higher in the more differentiated tumors of the control group (P<0.01). Increased expression of prognostic-adverse markers p53 (in the presence of IIn, P<0.01) and MMP-1 (P<0.05) was observed. Also, a higher level of OSN expression was found in PC tissue with IIn (P<0.01) due to its participation in the processes of biomineralization. The expression level of CD68 and Bax protein was higher in the PC group with IIn (both P<0.01). Furthermore, Hsp90 had a significantly lower expression level in the PC of group E (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: the presence of IIn in the PC samples of group E promotes tissue remodeling with mechanical trauma, chronic inflammation, and fibrosis development. The presence of IIn in PC leads to the increase of OSN, CD68 and Bax expression and decrease of Hsp90 and VEGF expression. High expression of p53 and MMP-1 and low expression of OSN and VEGF was identified as a characteristic of high-grade tumors.