Overexpression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16 is associated with tumor recurrence in human prostate cancer Journal Article


Authors: Lee, C. T.; Capodieci, P.; Osman, I.; Fazzari, M.; Ferrara, J.; Scher, H. I.; Cordon-Cardo, C.
Article Title: Overexpression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16 is associated with tumor recurrence in human prostate cancer
Abstract: The INK4A gene maps to the 9p21 region and was initially described [M. Serrano et al., Nature (Lond.), 366: 704-707, 1993; A. Kamb et al., Science (Washington DC), 264: 436-440, 1994] as encoding a 148-amino-acid protein termed p16. The p16 protein associates exclusively with Cdk4 and Cdk6, inhibiting their complexation with D-type cyclins and the consequent phosphorylation of pRb. This contributes to cell cycle arrest. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate patterns of p16 expression in a well- characterized cohort of prostatic adenocarcinomas while exploring potential associations between alterations of p16 and clinicopathological variables. Normal and malignant tissues from 88 patients with prostate carcinoma were examined. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry assays were used to determine the status of the INK4A exon 1α transcripts and levels of p16 protein, respectively. Associations between altered patterns of expression and clinicopathological variables, including pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, Gleason grade, pathological stage, and hormonal status, were evaluated using the Mantel-Haenszel χ2 test. Biochemical (PSA) relapse after surgery was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Levels of p16 expression and INK4A exon 1α transcripts in normal prostate and benign hyperplastic tissues were undetectable. However, p16 nuclear overexpression was observed in 38 (43%) prostate carcinomas, whereas the remaining 50 (57%) cases showed undetectable p16 levels. Overexpression of p16 protein was found to correlate with increased INK4A exon 1α transcripts. Moreover, p16 overexpression was associated with a higher pretreatment PSA level (P = 0.018), the use of neoadjuvant androgen ablation (P = 0.001), and a sooner time to PSA relapse after radical prostatectomy (P = 0.002). These data suggest that p16 overexpression is associated with tumor recurrence and a poor clinical course in patients with prostate cancer.
Keywords: adult; controlled study; human tissue; aged; disease-free survival; middle aged; treatment failure; retrospective studies; major clinical study; exons; histopathology; cancer recurrence; chemotherapy, adjuvant; combined modality therapy; cancer grading; adenocarcinoma; prostate specific antigen; cell cycle; disease association; gene overexpression; protein p16; cohort studies; neoplasm recurrence, local; neoplasm proteins; tumor markers, biological; transcription, genetic; prostate cancer; prostate-specific antigen; prostatic neoplasms; in situ hybridization; gene expression regulation, neoplastic; prostate; rna, messenger; prostatectomy; androgen antagonists; prostate hypertrophy; cell nucleus; prostatic hyperplasia; antineoplastic agents, hormonal; cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16; cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor; rna, neoplasm; genes, p16; life tables; humans; prognosis; human; male; priority journal; article
Journal Title: Clinical Cancer Research
Volume: 5
Issue: 5
ISSN: 1078-0432
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research  
Date Published: 1999-05-01
Start Page: 977
End Page: 983
Language: English
PUBMED: 10353729
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 16 August 2016 -- Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. Iman Osman
    36 Osman
  2. Cheryl T Lee
    7 Lee
  3. Melissa J Fazzari
    23 Fazzari
  4. Howard Scher
    1130 Scher