Trace Element Contents in Adenocarcinoma of Human Prostate Investigated by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescent Analysis

Abstract

Background: Adenocarcinoma of prostate is an internationally important health problem of the man, particularly in developed countries. The aim of this exploratory study was to evaluate whether significant changes in the prostatic tissue levels of Zn, as an androgen dependent trace element and Br, Fe, Rb, and Sr, as androgen independent trace elements, exist in the malignantly transformed prostate. Methods and findings:Prostatic tissue levels of Br, Fe, Rb, Sr, and Zn as well as ratio of Zn content to other trace element contents were prospectively evaluated in 35 patients with adenocarcinoma and 37 healthy male inhabitants. Measurements were performed using 109 Cd radionuclide-induced energy dispersive X-ray fluorescent analysis Tissue samples were divided into two portions. One was used for morphological study while the other was intended for trace element analysis. Mean values ± standard error of means (M ± SΕΜ) for mass fraction (mg/kg on dry mass basis) of trace element in the normal tissue was: Br 38.8 ± 5.6, Fe 118 ± 8, Rb 16.3 ± 1.1, Sr 2.5 ± 0.4, and Zn 1154 ± 119, respectively. M ± SΕΜ for ratio of mass fractions were: Zn/Br 38.7 ± 6.4, Zn/Fe 11.2 ± 1.3, Zn/Rb 71.7 ± 9.0 and Zn/Sr 534 ± 83, respectively. The contents of Rb and Zn were significantly lower (approximately 2 and 8 times, respectively) and those of Br and Sr was significantly higher (2.7 and 2.2 times, respectively) in cancerous tissues than in normal tissues. Conclusions:There are great changes in trace element contents and their relationships in the malignantly transformed tissue of prostate.

Ratios of Zn/trace element contents in prostate gland as carcinoma’s markers

“…The gamma spectrometer included the 100 cm 3 Ge(Li) detector and on-line computer-based multichannel analyzer. The spectrometer provided a resolution of 1.9 keV on the 60 Co 1332 keV line.…”

“…Nondestructive method of analysis avoids the possibility of changing the content of trace elements in the studied samples [67][68][69][70], which allowed for the first time to obtain reliable results. In particular, it was shown that the average mass fraction of Co, Cr, Hg, Sb, and Se in BPH were higher than normal levels [66], but in PCa tissues the mean values of Ag, Cr, Fe, Hg, and Sb were higher while those of Co, Rb, Sc, and Znwere lower than in healthy prostatic tissue [60,66]. Obtained results formed the basis for a new method for differential diagnosis of BPH and PCa, the essence of which was to determine the ratios of trace element contents changedin opposite directions during malignant transformation of prostate.…”

“…It allows measure the trace element contents in a few milligrams tissue without any treatment of sample. Analytical studies of the Ag, Co, Cr, Fe, Hg, Sb, Sc, Se, and Zn contents in normal, BPH and PCa tissue were done by us using INAA-LLR [15,20,28,60,62]. Nondestructive method of analysis avoids the possibility of changing the content of trace elements in the studied samples [67][68][69][70], which allowed for the first time to obtain reliable results.…”

“…However, the INAA-LLR allow only determine the mean mass fractions of9-10trace elements in the samples of normal and cancerous prostate glands [15,20,28,60,66]. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a more power analytical tool than INAA-LLR [18] but sample digestion is a critical step in elemental analysis by this method.…”

“…The element concentrations in aqueous solutions were determined by the quantitative method using multi elemental calibration solutions ICP-MS-68A and ICP-AM-6-A produced by High-Purity Standards (Charleston, SC 29423, USA). Indium was used as an internal standard in all measurements.Information detailing with the NAA-LLR and ICP-MS methods used and other details of the analysis was presented in our previous publication [15,20,28,60,66]. …”