C-Ret Proto-Oncogene Expression in Human Prostate: An Immunohistochemical Evaluation

C-ret proto-oncogene encodes a protein in the tyrosine kinase (TK) family of transmembrane receptors for growth factors. C-ret expression has been identified in normal tissues and tumors of neural crest origin such as inherited MEN (multiple endocrine neoplasia) syndromes, particularly medullary thyroid cancers where there are confirmed germ-line mutations. Gene rearrangement has been observed in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) and has been shown to have cytoplasmic localization of the altered gene product. C-ret proto-oncogene product is also necessary for the normal development of the peripheral nervous system, enteric nervous system and the kidney. A recent profile of the TK receptors in prostate cancer (PCA) identified c-ret protein in prostate cancer tissue and xenograft derived from human PCA. This study is the first to report the immunohistochemical (IH) evaluation of c-ret in human prostatic tissue.Thirty radical prostatectomy specimens for PCA were formalin-fixed, sectioned at 5mm and paraffin-embedded.