SUN-143 Prostatic Acid Phosphatase Is Not Regulated by Androgens During Prostate Development and Tumorigenesis

INTRODUCTION: Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) is a soluble factor secreted by prostate luminal epithelial cells. PAP expression correlates with prostate cancer (PCa) bone metastases and poor survival. The androgenic regulation of PAP in prostate development and tumorigenesis is not fully understood. We investigated the relationship between PAP and androgens in human prostate specimens and in vivo. HYPOTHESIS AND OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that PAP expression was independent of androgens. Our objectives were to determine the immunohistochemical expression of PAP in human fetal prostate tissue, human PCa bone metastases, and xenograft and surgical castration mouse models. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for PAP and three androgen-regulated proteins, the Androgen Receptor (AR), Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA), and ETS-related gene (ERG) protein, was carried out on human fetal prostate (9.5, 11.5, 13, 16.5, 18 and 20 weeks of gestational age), archival human PCa bone metastases, and PCa mouse models. For xenograft studies, PAP-expressing PCa cell lines, LNCaP, C42B, and VCaP cells, were inoculated subcutaneously into SCID mice. A castration study with surgical or sham castration was performed after VCaP tumors were palpable. Mouse tumor growth and weight were measured biweekly, and tumor tissue isolated after mouse sacrifice. RESULTS: PAP expression was observed in the fetal prostate as early as 11.5 weeks of gestational age. Strong PAP expression was noted in all human PCa bone metastases examined, both treatment-naive and castrate-resistant (n=10). However, AR and ERG expression was absent in two of four castrate-resistant specimens. PSA was weakly expressed in human castration-resistant bone metastatic prostate specimens. In vivo, PAP expression was observed in all tumor models; however, the expression of PAP differed among androgen-sensitive models; LNCaP (low PAP), C42B (moderate PAP) and VCaP (high PAP). Castrated VCaP tumors underwent tumor stasis and were significantly smaller compared to intact mice. Strong expression of PAP was observed after castration. In contrast, AR, PSA, and ERG expression were reduced in castrated VCaP tumors compared to tumors from intact mice. Double staining of tumors for PAP and AR demonstrated a population of cells that were positive for PAP but negative for AR expression located in hypoxic areas near necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that PAP is expressed early in normal human fetal prostate development prior to the secretion of significant androgens or expression of AR. In mouse xenografts and human PCa bone metastases, androgens did not significantly regulate PAP expression. These data demonstrate that PAP is a marker of early progenitor cells in the normal prostate and is persistently expressed after castration. PAP may be a suitable target for the treatment of castration-resistant metastatic disease.