Soluble cMet expression in the serum of patients with different stages of prostate cancer

Abstract

Aim: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, cMet, have been shown to be involved in prostate cancer. Many proteins are proteolytically released from the surface by a process known as ecdodomain shedding. Among the many receptors for which the ectodomain shedding has been shown is cMet. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of soluble cMet (s-cMet) in the serum of patients with different stages of prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa). Materials and Methods: Fifty seven serum samples from controls and 63 samples from patients with different stages of PCa were studied (n=20 stage I, n=16 stage II, n=14 stage III and n=13 stage IV). The total protein concentration (TPC) was measured using a Bio-Rad protein assay and the expression and concentration of s-cMet was determined by western blotting and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: No significant change in the serum TPC of patients with different stages of PCa was seen as compared to controls. The relative s-cMet expression in the samples of patients with different stages of PCa is increased as compared to controls. It was shown that the serum concentration of s-cMet in the patients with various stages of PCa is significantly increased compared to normal controls (P<0.001). Conclusions: The result of this study suggests that s-cMet might be involved in the pathophysiology of PCa and the progression of PCa. We suggest that a possible role for the c-Met ectodomain as a regulator of HGF/c-Met activity should be examined in PCa.