[Expression of glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B in prostate cancer and its significance].

Objective: To investigate the expression of glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) in prostate cancer and its clinical significance.

Methods: The expression of GPNMB was analysed in 63 prostate cancer and 3 heterosexual hyperplasia prostate tissue and 8 benign prostatic hyperplasia samples by immunohistochemical staining, with integral optical density(IOD) value representing expression level of positive cells.

Results: The expression of GPNMB was lower in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, IOD=70 017.49) than in Atypical hyperplasia (IOD=101 547.33, P=0.000 1) . The expression of GPNMB in tumor (IOD= 162 027.54) was higher than in non-tumor group (IOD=79 290.97), which included BPH and atypical hyperplasia (P=0.000 1). But GPNMB expression level was not positively elevated with degree of malignancy of prostate cancer. However, the expression of GPNMB in low pathological grading(IOD=177 944.30) was higher than that in high pathological grading(IOD=150 885.81, P=0.013).

Conclusion: The abnormal expression of GPNMB may play an important role in the development of prostate cancer and its detection may be useful for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.