Decreased levels of cathepsin Z mRNA expressed by immune blood cells: diagnostic and prognostic implications in prostate cancer

Abstract

Cathepsin Z (CTSZ) is a cysteine protease responsible for the adhesion and migration of both immune and tumor cells. Due to its dual role, we hypothesized that the site of CTSZ expression could be determinant of the pro- or anti-tumorigenic effects of this enzyme. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed CTSZ expression data in healthy and tumor tissues by bioinformatics and evaluated the expression levels of CTSZ mRNA in the blood cells of prostate cancer (PCa) patients by qRT-PCR compared with healthy subjects, evaluating its diagnostic and prognostic implications for this type of cancer. Immune cells present in the blood of healthy patients overexpress CTSZ. In PCa, we found decreased CTSZ mRNA levels in blood cells, 75% lower than in healthy subjects, that diminished even more during biochemical relapse. CTSZ mRNA in the blood cells had an area under the curve for PCa diagnosis of 0.832, with a 93.3% specificity, and a positive likelihood ratio of 9.4. The site of CTSZ mRNA expression is fundamental to determine its final role as a protective determinant in PCa, such as CTSZ mRNA in the blood cells, or a malignant determinant, such as found for CTSZ expressed in high levels by different types of primary and metastatic tumors. Low CTSZ mRNA expression in the total blood is a possible PCa marker complementary to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for biopsy decisions, with the potential to eliminate unnecessary biopsies.

Insight into the Neuroprotective Effect of Genistein-3′-sodium sulfonate against Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischaemic Brain Injury in Rats by Bioinformatics

“…Compared with the sham group, the expression of complement C3 in the HI group was signi cantly increased, indicating that complement pathway components accumulate in the HI group and that GSS treatment can signi cantly reduce the expression of complement C3 (Figure 5A, B), which is consistent with the RNA-Seq results (Figure 5E). Cathepsin Z (CTSZ) is a member of the cysteine cathepsin family, is a lysosomal cysteine proteinase and has exopeptidase activity [24]. The results showed that CTSZ expression was increased after HIE and that GSS treatment inhibited the increased expression of this protein (Figure 5A, C).…”

Insight into the Neuroprotective Effect of Genistein-3′-Sodium Sulfonate Against Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischaemic Brain Injury in Rats by Bioinformatics

“…5E ). Cathepsin Z (CTSZ) is a member of the cysteine cathepsin family, is a lysosomal cysteine proteinase, and has exopeptidase activity [ 29 ]. The results showed that CTSZ expression was increased after HIE and that GSS treatment inhibited the increased expression of this protein (Fig.…”

The causal relationship between cathepsins and hepatocellular carcinoma risk: A Mendelian randomization study

“…Research speci cally focusing on the impact of cathepsin S on HCC risk has been sparse, highlighting the need for further detailed functional studies to elucidate its role in HCC progression. Additionally, insights from reverse MR analysis have illuminated an increase in cathepsin Z expression due to HCC, providing an explanation for the elevated cathepsin Z levels previously observed in HCC patients [37,38].…”