Decreased levels of cathepsin Z mRNA expressed by immune blood cells: diagnostic and prognostic implications in prostate cancer

Autor(es)

Batista, A. A. S. ^[1] ; Franco, B. M. ^[1] ; Perez, M. M. ^[2] ; Pereira, E. G. ^[1] ; Rodrigues, T. ^[1] ; Wroclawski, M. L. ^[3] ; Fonseca, F. L. A. ^{[4, 2]} ; Suarez, E. R. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Ciencias Nat & Humanas, Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[2] Ctr Univ Fac Med ABC, Lab Anal Clin, Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[3] Hosp Israelita Albert Einstein, Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Farmaceut, Diadema, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research; v. 54, n. 10 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Cathepsin Z (CTSZ) is a cysteine protease responsible for the adhesion and migration of both immune and tumor cells. Due to its dual role, we hypothesized that the site of CTSZ expression could be determinant of the pro- or anti-tumorigenic effects of this enzyme. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed CTSZ expression data in healthy and tumor tissues by bioinformatics and evaluated the expression levels of CTSZ mRNA in the blood cells of prostate cancer (PCa) patients by qRT-PCR compared with healthy subjects, evaluating its diagnostic and prognostic implications for this type of cancer. Immune cells present in the blood of healthy patients overexpress CTSZ. In PCa, we found decreased CTSZ mRNA levels in blood cells, 75% lower than in healthy subjects, that diminished even more during biochemical relapse. CTSZ mRNA in the blood cells had an area under the curve for PCa diagnosis of 0.832, with a 93.3% specificity, and a positive likelihood ratio of 9.4. The site of CTSZ mRNA expression is fundamental to determine its final role as a protective determinant in PCa, such as CTSZ mRNA in the blood cells, or a malignant determinant, such as found for CTSZ expressed in high levels by different types of primary and metastatic tumors. Low CTSZ mRNA expression in the total blood is a possible PCa marker complementary to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for biopsy decisions, with the potential to eliminate unnecessary biopsies. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 18/17656-0 - Imunoterapia de nova geração - Direcionamento de linfócitos contendo receptores quiméricos para o combate ao câncer e bloqueio do checkpoint imunológico: eficácia terapêutica e estudos moleculares de mecanismos de exaustão de linfócitos.
• Beneficiário: Eloah Rabello Suarez
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular