OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of the LC3A protein in prostate cancer (PCa) and its clinicopathological significance. We detected the expression of the LC3A protein by immunohistochemistry in 54 cases of PCa and 14 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and analyzed the correlation between the LC3A expression and the clinicopathological parameters in PCa. The positive signals of the LC3A protein were located in the cytoplasm and/or cell nuclei. The rate of its strongly positive expression was 90.7% in PCa, significantly higher than 14.3% in BPH (P < 0.01). The LC3A expression was also found in the cell nuclei of 22 cases of PCa, with no significant correlation to that in the cytoplasm (P > 0.05). The expression of LC3A was significantly correlated with Gleason scores (r = 0.297, P = 0.029 in cytoplasm; r = 0.288, P = 0.034 in cell nuclei), but not with the clinical stage, patient's age, androgen receptor (AR) level and preoperative levels of serum PSA and cPSA (all P > 0.05). LC3A was also expressed in the fibrocytes and smooth muscle cells in PCa and BPH. The positive rate of AR was 74.1% (40/54) in PCa and 64.3% (9/14) in BPH, with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of the LC3A protein might be involved in the development, differentiation, and prognosis of prostate cancer.