Basal cell subpopulation as putative human prostate carcinoma stem cells.

The present study examines the expression of p63, glutathione S-transferase-pi (GSTP1) and alpha-methylacyl-CoAracemase (AMACR) in serial slices in proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA) in order to implicate that some of the basal cells are probably the putative human prostate carcinoma stem cells (PHPCSC). Archived tissue sections obtained after radical prostatectomy from cases (n=30) comprising of PIA were tested using immunohistochemistry with antibodies against AMACR (Dako), p63 and GSTP1 (Labvision) and visualized by biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase kit (DAKO LSAB 2 kit). Quantitative immunohistochemistry analysis (QIHC) of the studied antigen expression levels revealed that there are two populations of p63 basal cells. Type I basal cells had high AMACR, low GSTP1 and p63 expression. Type II basal cells had low AMACR, high GSTP1 and p63 expression. Therefore, we propose that the putative human prostate carcinoma stem cells probably reside within the population of type I basal cells.