Serum fucosylated haptoglobin as a novel prognostic biomarker predicting high-Gleason prostate cancer

BACKGROUND Fucosylation is an oligosaccharide modification associated with cancer and inflammation, which is catalyzed by fucosyltransferases. Fucosylated haptoglobin (Fuc‐Hpt) has been identified as a novel biomarker for pancreatic cancer. In this study, we evaluated serum Fuc‐Hpt as a biomarker for prostate cancer, and investigated the expression of fucosyltransferases and haptoglobin in prostate cancer cell lines. METHODS We measured the preoperative serum Fuc‐Hpt levels in 98 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) using an established lectin‐antibody ELISA. Fucosyltransferase and haptoglobin mRNA and protein expressions in prostate cancer cell lines were determined using quantitative PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS Serum Fuc‐Hpt levels were significantly associated with Gleason score (GS), but not prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels. The area under the receiver‐operator characteristics curve (AUC) for the prediction of GS ≥7 in prostatectomy specimens by Fuc‐Hpt was 0.753, in contrast to the PSA AUC of 0.561 and the PSAD AUC of 0.558. The Fuc‐Hpt AUC for the prediction of GS upgrade from GS 6 at biopsy to GS ≥7 after RP was 0.689, in contrast to the PSA AUC of 0.588 and PSAD AUC of 0.557. Multivariable analysis revealed that Fuc‐Hpt levels were significantly associated with biochemical recurrence after prostatectomy. A high expression of alpha‐(1–6) fucosyltransferase (FUT8) and haptoglobin was observed in prostate cancer cell line, suggesting that certain kinds of prostate cancer cells produce Fuc‐Hpt. CONCLUSION Elevated serum Fuc‐Hpt level could be a novel cancer biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer, particularly those with high GSs. Prostate 74:1052–1058, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.