Leo L. Cheng1, David Kaul2,
Chin-Lee Wu3, Christen Adkins, Kate Jordan, Piet Habbel4,
Randall Peterson5, W. Scott McDougal, Ute Pohl
1Radiology/Pathology, Massachusetts
General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States; 2Pathology/
Center for Anatomy, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Massachusetts
General Hospital/Charite - Universitatsmedizin; 3Pathology/Urology,
Massachusetts General Hospital; 4Center for Anatomy, Institute of
Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charite - Universitatsmedizin; 5Medicine,
Massachusetts General Hospital
The
inability of current pathology to distinguish between a latent form of
prostate cancer and a fast growing tumor necessitates new assays that can
determine tumor biological activity.
We measured concentrations of spermine, an endogenous PCa growth
inhibitor, from prostatectomy tissue with HRMAS 1HMRS, and quantified the
expression levels of mRNA for enzymes in the spermine synthesis and
degradation pathways for different pathological features. Our findings suggest the presence of PCa
activates spermine production, which delays PCa progression. These enzyme related mRNA results could
potentially be implemented in the clinic, allowing patients to make a more
informed decision about treatment.