Prostate malignant tumor and benign prostatic hyperplasia microenvironments in black African men - Limited infiltration of CD8+ T lymphocytes, NK-cells, and high frequency of CD73+ stromal cells

Q: What was the study aim regarding prostate cancer and BPH?

To investigate the tumor microenvironment of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in black African men, focusing on immune and stromal features.

Q: What key differences were found between prostate cancer and BPH microenvironments?

CD73 showed high epithelial-stromal expression in cancer with virtually no CD8+ T-cell or NK-cell infiltration in tumor areas, and CD73 was far more likely in prostate cancer stroma than in BPH.

Sep 24, 2026

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Anti-cancer immunology remains insufficiently explored in African black populations, despite its relevance to precision medicine. This study investigates the tumor microenvironment in prostate cancer versus benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in black Africans. Using immunohistochemistry on patient biopsies, expression and spatial distribution of CD73, CD8+ T lymphocytes, and NK cells were assessed. Results show high epithelial-stromal CD73 with virtually no CD8+ T-cell or NK-cell infiltration in tumor areas, with markedly higher CD73 in cancer stroma than in BPH, and higher PSA in cancer.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Prostate cancer and BPH epidemiology

Tumor microenvironment and clinical context

Methods and results (overview)

DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1817 O R IG INA L ARTI CLE Prostate malignant tumor and benign prostatic hyperplasia microenvironments in black African men: Limited infiltration of CD8+ T lymphocytes, NK-cells, and high frequency of CD73+ stromal cells Pélagie Mougola Bissiengou 1,2 | Jérôme Gaston Montcho Comlan 2 | Gabrielle Atsame Ebang 3 | Maguette Sylla Niang 2 | Joel Fleury Djoba Siawaya 4 1Service d'Immunologie, Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Faculté de Médecine, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Libreville, Gabon 2Service d'Immunologie, Département des Sciences Biologiques et Pharmaceutiques Appliquées, Faculté de Médecine, de Pharmacie et d'Odontostomatologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal 3Unité d'anatomie-Cytologie-Pathologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville, Libreville, Gabon 4Service Laboratoire, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Mère-Enfant Fondation Jeanne EBORI, Libreville, Gabon Correspondence Joel Fleury Djoba Siawaya, Service Laboratoire Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Mère-Enfant Fondation Jeanne EBORI, Libreville, Gabon. Email: [joel.djoba@gmail.com](joel.djoba@gmail.com) Abstract Background: Anti-cancerous immunology has yet to be investigated in the African black population, despite being the dawn of precision medicine. Aim: Here we investigated the tumor microenvironment of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in black Africans. Methods: Through immunohistochemistry analysis of prostate cancer and BPH patients' biopsies, we investigated the expression and distribution of CD73, CCD8 Tlymphocytes, and natural killer cells. In addition, we looked at tumor-infiltrating features CD8 T-lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Results: We show for the first time in black Africans a high expression of CD73 in epithelial-stromal cells and virtually no infiltration of CD8 T lymphocytes and natural killer cells in the tumoral area. In addition, CD73 was seven (7) times more likely tobe expressed in prostate cancer stromal tissues than in benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues (odds ratio = 7.2; χ2 = 21; p < .0001) . In addition, PSA concentration was significantly higher in prostate cancer patients than in BPH patients (p < .001) . Also, the PSA-based ROC. analysis showed an area under the curve of 0 .87 (p < .0001) . Conclusion: CD73 expression is more likely expressed in prostate cancer stromal tissues than in benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues. The features of prostate cancer in Black Africans suggest CD73 expression as a possible target for immunotherapy in this population. KEYWOR DS benign prostatic hyperplasia, cancer, CD73, CD8 T-lymphocytes, natural killer, prostate 1 | INTRODUCTION Prostate cancer is an uncontrolled malignant growth of mutated cells from the prostate (a gland of the male reproductive system) . The cancerous cells can metastasize to other parts of the body. The majority of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas (90%) . Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), for which lower urinary tract symptoms are common manifestations, affects more than half of men above This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2023 The Authors. Cancer Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Cancer Reports. 2023;6(Suppl. 1):e1817 . [https://doi.org/10.1002/cnr2.1817](https://doi.org/10.1002/cnr2.1817) [wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cnr2](wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cnr2) 1 of 11 65 years old.1 Prostate cancer occurs independently of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) . With around 1 .4 million new cases and 375 000 deaths worldwide, prostate cancer was the most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of death among men over 60 in 2020 .2 In Africa, with an incidence of 29.7 cases per 100 000 people and a mortality rate of 16.3 cases per 100 000, prostate can

FAQs

What was the study aim regarding prostate cancer and BPH?

To investigate the tumor microenvironment of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in black African men, focusing on immune and stromal features.

How were immune and stromal markers evaluated?

Through immunohistochemistry analysis of prostate cancer and BPH patient biopsies, assessing expression and distribution of CD73, CD8+ T lymphocytes, and natural killer cells.

What key differences were found between prostate cancer and BPH microenvironments?

CD73 showed high epithelial-stromal expression in cancer with virtually no CD8+ T-cell or NK-cell infiltration in tumor areas, and CD73 was far more likely in prostate cancer stroma than in BPH.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Ivy