Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of leptin and its receptor in histological sections of prostate tumors, and their association with prognostic factors. A total of 532 surgical specimens from prostate cancer were studied. After histopathological diagnosis, the samples were included in tissue microarrays containing cores from tumor and non-tumor (benign prostatic hyperplasia) areas. These were immunostained with anti-leptin and anti-leptin-receptor antibodies. Objective and subjective analyses were performed. Student's-t-test and ANOVA were used to compare mean values, and linear regression was used to evaluate the correlation between histological results and prognostic indicators. Leptin receptor expression was reduced in tumors with a positive surgical margin, urethral margin involvement, and seminal vesicles invasion. Further, there was a negative correlation between the expression of leptin receptor in tumor areas and the sum of prognostic factors, suggesting that leptin receptor may predict the aggressiveness of disease. Our findings suggest that leptin receptor expression is a potential prognostic factor for PCa. Further investigation is needed to support the use of leptin receptor as a novel biomarker, although leptin itself does not seem to predict the aggressiveness of prostate cancer.
Highlights
Leptin is a hormone responsible for regulating body fat
Our findings suggest that leptin receptor expression is a potential prognostic factor for prostate cancer (PCa)
The expression of leptin receptor was reduced by 11.3%, 4.6%, and 6.4% in tumors that exhibited urethral margin involvement, a positive surgical margin, and seminal vesicle invasion, respectively, in comparison to those that do not exhibited these factors (Figure 3)
Summary
Leptin is a hormone responsible for regulating body fat. It is secreted by adipocytes, and its serum level varies with body weight and physical activity. Leptin needs to bind a receptor to exert its effects[1,2]. In vitro studies have shown that leptin is a mitogenic factor in several malignancies, including endothelial, breast, colon, prostate, and esophageal cancers [3,4]. Leptin stimulates the growth and migration of neoplastic cells in vitro and increases the proliferation of prostate cancer (PCa) cells via the suppression of apoptosis, mediating more aggressive biological behavior [3,4]
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