Expression and clinical significance of CCR9 in prostate cancer (P6276)

Abstract

Abstract Despite recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in US. Precise etiology and molecular target to treat prostate cancer is yet to be defined. In recent years, involvement of chemokines and their corresponding receptors in pathogenesis of prostate cancer has gained tremendous attention. We have previously shown that CC chemokines receptor-9 (CCR9) is significantly expressed in prostate cancer cell lines compared to normal epithelial cells derived from prostate. Furthermore, we have shown higher invasive and migratory potential of prostate cancer cells under the chemotactic gradient of CCL25, the only known natural ligand of CCR9. The aim of this study was to establish the clinical relevance of CCR9 in prostate cancer using tissue micro array (TMA). The TMAs were stained for CCR9 and virtual slides were created using an Aperio ScanScope scanning system to numerically analyze the Immuno-intensity of CCR9. The ScanScope generated true color digital images of each stained sample, which were viewed and analyzed using Aperio ImageScope (version 6.25 software). Our data show higher expression of CCR9 in prostate cancer tissues compared to match benign tissues. Interestingly, CCR9 immuno-intensity was stronger in tissues with Gleason grade 8 and above. This study suggests the potential involvement of CCR9 in pathogenesis of prostate cancer.