INCREASED PROSTATIC LYSOPHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE ACYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY IN HUMAN PROSTATE CANCER:: A MARKER FOR MALIGNANCY

Purpose: Phospholipase A2 and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LAT) constitute a deacylation-reacylation cycle that incorporates arachidonic acid into the lipid membrane. In a preliminary report we found increased LAT activity in malignant prostate tissue. We measured LAT activity in prostate tissue from a large number of patients undergoing prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: Prostate tissue from 93 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for prostate carcinoma, 14 undergoing cystoprostatectomy for bladder cancer, 55 undergoing transurethral resection for benign prostatic hyperplasia and 11 with prostate cancer undergoing transurethral resection for relief of obstructive symptoms was analyzed for LAT activity.Results: In radical prostatectomy specimens using oleoyl coenzyme A as substrate mean increase in LAT activity between malignant and benign portions of the same specimen was 0.68 ± 0.12 nmol./mg. protein per minute (p <0.00001). In all radical prostatectomy specimens analyzed LAT activity...