NY-ESO-1 expression and immunogenicity in prostate cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of men cancer-related death. Cancer immunotherapy has been investigated as a treatment which might be instituted at the point of detection of androgen-independent metastatic disease. AIM: to investigate the expression and humoral response against NYESO-1 in patients with prostate cancer (PC) and to analyze the relationship between expression of NY-ESO-1 and clinicopathological features. METHODS: NY-ESO-1 mRNA in surgically resected PC and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were examined by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction. The antibody response to NY-ESO-1 was examined by enzyme-linked Elisa assay using recombinant NYESO-1 protein. RESULTS: NY-ESO-1 mRNA was detected in 9 of 23 (39%) PC patients. Antibodies against NY-ESO-1 protein were detected in 12 of 23 (52%) sera of PC patients and in 5 of 9 (55%) of NY-ESO-1 expressing tumors. However, no mRNA copy or NY-ESO-1 antibodies were detected in all BPH patients tested. CONCLUSION: The present study has demonstrated the expression of NY-ESO-1mRNA in prostate Cancer patients and NY-ESO-1 antibody production. Our data suggest that NY-ESO-1 could be used as a tumor marker and constitute a good candidate for vaccine-based immunotherapy for hormonal resistant prostate cancer patients.