RNA transcriptome sequencing analysis of miR-301a overexpressing prostate cancer cell lines identified the tumor suppressor p63 as a potential direct miR-301a target.
The role of TP63 in cancer remains controversial since both oncogenic and tumor suppressive actions have been reported. p63 protein is found in the nuclei of basal cells of the normal prostate, yet it is absent in the vast majority of prostate cancer nuclei.
Immunohistochemically detected GOLPH2 protein expression was compared with the basal cell marker p63 and the prostate cancer marker alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) in 614 radical prostatectomy specimens.
Additional results show that AMACR may be an important new marker of prostate cancer, and its use in combination with p63 staining may provide the basis for an improved method for identification of prostate cancer.
The selective presence of p63 in basal cells of the prostate suggests that p63 can be used as a marker of basal cells and in vitro typing cell cultures of prostate cancer (CaP).
In a simple assay that can be useful for the diagnosis of prostate cancer on both biopsy and surgical specimens, combined staining for p63 and AMACR resulted in a staining pattern that greatly facilitated the identification of malignant prostate cells.