Expression of OCT4 stem cell marker in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma in a sample of Iraqi patients

Abstract

Objective: Prostatic diseases (benign and malignant) are broadly widespread in the world. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a chronic entity reflected by enlarged prostatic tissue, triggering inferior urinary tract complaints. On the other hand, prostate cancer, is the second most common cancer in men and the fourth utmost commonly happening cancer generally. OCT4 referred to as octamer binding transcription factor 4, also recognized as POU5F1 (POU domain class 5 transcription factor 1), is a protein that in humans is coded by the POU5F1 gene. This protein is analytically elaborate in the self-renewal of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. As such, our work is designed to evaluate the immunohistochemical examination of OCT4 expression in the prostatic epithelium in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and in the epithelium of prostatic adenocarcinoma microenvironment (NPCA). Patients and Methods: The prostate samples were acquired from 50 BPH patients, and 50 prostatic cancer patients. The samples were managed for immunohistochemical examination of OCT4 expression. Results: Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in the staining percentage between the BPH and NPCA group (P-value=0.009), and there was significant staining expression of OCT4 in NPCA group as compared to BPH group (P-value=0.000). Also, there was a significant elevation of the total score of OCT4 in NPCA group (P-value=0.036) as compared with BPH group. Conclusions: OCT4 is over expressed in normal tissue around prostatic carcinoma as compared to benign tissue in BPH, and thus OCT4 can be used as a stem cell marker for prostatic tissue tuomorigenicity.