Low CD38 Identifies Progenitor-like Inflammation-Associated Luminal Cells that Can Initiate Human Prostate Cancer and Predict Poor Outcome

Inflammation is a risk factor for prostate cancer, but the mechanisms by which inflammation increases that risk are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that low expression of CD38 identifies a progenitor-like subset of luminal cells in the human prostate. CD38(lo) luminal cells are enriched in glands adjacent to inflammatory cells and exhibit epithelial nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) signaling. In response to oncogenic transformation, CD38(lo) luminal cells can initiate human prostate cancer in an in vivo tissue-regeneration assay. Finally, the CD38(lo) luminal phenotype and gene signature are associated with disease progression and poor outcome in prostate cancer. Our results suggest that prostate inflammation expands the pool of progenitor-like target cells susceptible to tumorigenesis.