Expression of angiotensin II type 2 receptors and syndecan-1 in prostate cancer

Introduction. Prostate cancer (PCa) remains an urgent problem of modern oncological urology due to high morbidity and mortality rates.

Objective. To evaluate the expression of angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2-R) and syndecan-1 (CD138) receptors in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and PCa.

Materials & methods. For the immunohistochemical (IHC) study, the prostate biopsy cores of 20 men was used: 10 men with PIN, 10 men with PCa. Primary antibodies to AT2-R and CD138 antibodies were used for IHC staining, the EnVision FLEX imaging system. Formulation of IHC reactions, interpretation of the results obtained were carried out according to generally accepted rules.

Results. The results of the study showed that AT2-R deficiency increases in the range of PIN-3 – PCa. Mild AT2-R expression or its absence was noted in tumor cells with PCa, while the AT2-R localisation was nuclear. In PIN-3, the expression of syndecan-1 was localised on the membrane of basal cells and the basolateral side of secretory epithelial cells, without expression in the adjacent stroma, while the expression level of syndecan-1 always remained high. In PCa, the membrane expression of syndecan-1 was preserved. With a decrease or absence of AT2-R nuclear expression in PCa tissue with an increase in ISUP, the expression level of syndecan-1 decreased.

Conclusion. Simultaneous decrease in the expression levels of AT2-R and syndecan-1 in PCa has been demonstrated for the first time. A comprehensive determination of the expression levels of AT2-R and syndecan-1 seems to be promising for the development of diagnostic and prognostic markers of PCa initiation and development.

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