The cDNA Microarray Profiling of Protein Kinases and Phosphatases: Molecular Portrait of Human Prostate Carcinomas

Hybridization with cDNA arrays was used to obtain expression profiles of 263 protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK), protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), dual-specific phosphatase (DuSP), and other genes for the normal prostate tissue, primary prostate carcinomas (PC) of 84 patients, 7 xenografts, and 5 carcinoma cell lines. Analysis of 96 profiles revealed eight clusters of genes coexpressed in PC (coefficient of correlation r > 0.7). According to the known functions of their genes, the clusters were designated as proliferating-cell (CDC42, TOP2A, FGFR3, MYC, etc.), neoangiogenesis and blood-cell (LCK, VAV1, KDR, VEGF, MMP9, SYK, PTPRS, and FLT4), invasion-1 and invasion-2 (ADAM17, TRPM2, DUSP6, VIM, CAV1, CAV2, JAK1, PTPNS1, FYN, and PDGFB), HER2, and PSA/PSM/HER3. Basing on expression profiles of 66 genes, a molecular classification of PC was generated and allowed discrimination between PC and cell lines or xenografts at 98.9% probability. The results suggested that, along with PSA, PSM (FOLH1), callicreine-2, and α-2-macroglobulin, cell signaling genes EGFR, HER2, HER3, TOP2, KRT8, KRT18, VEGF, CD44, VIM, CAV1, and CAV2 may serve as diagnostic and prognostic markers in PC. The HER2, VEGF, and CD44 genes and the MMP and ADAM families were assumed to be promising targets for inhibitors of PC cell proliferation and metastasis.