This study aimed to identify candidate new diagnosis and prognosis markers and medicinal targets of prostate cancer (PCa), using state of the art proteomics. A total of 20 prostate tissue specimens from 10 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 10 with PCa (Tumour Node Metastasis [TNM] stage T1-T3) were analyzed by isobaric stable isotope labeling (iTRAQ) and two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (2DLC-MS/MS) approaches using a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight system (QqTOF). The study resulted in the reproducible identification of 825 nonredundant gene products (p < or = 0.05) of which 30 exhibited up-regulation (> or =2-fold) and another 35 exhibited down-regulation (< or =0.5-fold) between the BPH and PCa specimens constituting a major contribution toward their global proteomic assessment. Selected findings were confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis of prostate tissue specimens. The proteins determined support existing knowledge and uncover novel and promising PCa biomarkers. The PCa proteome found can serve as a useful aid for the identification of improved diagnostic and prognostic markers and ultimately novel chemopreventive and therapeutic targets.

AIMS: To investigate whether genetic variants of the histidine-rich calcium (HRC)-binding protein are associated with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and its progression. METHODS AND RESULTS: We screened 123 idiopathic DCM patients and 96 healthy individuals by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing for genetic variants in HRC. Six polymorphisms were detected: Leu35Leu (A/G), Ser43Asn (G/A), Ser96Ala (T/G), Glu202_Glu203insGlu (-/GAG), Asp261del (GAT/-), and an in-frame insertion of 51 amino acids at His321. The analysis of their frequencies did not reveal any significant correlation with DCM development. However, the Ser96Ala polymorphism exhibited a statistically significant correlation with the occurrence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. During a follow-up of 4.02 +/- 2.4 years, the risk for ventricular arrhythmias was higher (HR, 9.620; 95% CI, 2.183-42.394; P = 0.003) in the Ala/Ala patients, compared with Ser/Ser homozygous patients. On multivariable Cox regression analysis, the Ser96Ala polymorphism was the only significant genetic arrythmogenesis predictor in DCM patients (HR, 4.191; 95% CI, 0.838-20.967; P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: The Ser96Ala genetic variant of HRC is associated with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in idiopathic DCM and may serve as an independent predictor of susceptibility to arrhythmogenesis in the setting of DCM.