Human Prostate Cancers (human + prostate_cancers)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Multiple genomic alterations on 21q22 predict various TMPRSS2/ERG fusion transcripts in human prostate cancers

GENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 11 2007
Wennuan Liu
A number of TMPRSS2/ERG fusion transcripts have been reported since the discovery that recurrent genomic rearrangements result in the fusion of TMPRSS2 and ETS family member genes. In this article we present evidence demonstrating that multiple genomic alterations contribute to the formation of various TMPRSS2/ERG transcripts. Using allele-specific analysis of the data generated from the GeneChip 500K SNP array we observed both hemizygous and homozygous deletions occurring at different locations between and within TMPRSS2 and ERG in prostate cancers. The 500K SNP array enabled us to fine map the start and end of each deletion to specific introns of these two genes, and to predict a variety of fusion transcripts, including a new form which was confirmed by sequence analysis of the fusion transcripts in various tumors. We also inferred that translocation is an additional mechanism of fusion for these two genes in some tumors, based on largely diploid genomic DNA between TMPRSS and ERG, and different fusion transcripts produced in these tumors. Using a bioinformatics approach, we then uncovered the consensus sequences in the regions harboring the breakpoints of the deletions. These consensus sequences were homologous to the human Alu-Sq and Alu-Sp subfamily consensus sequences, with more than 80% homology. The presence/absence of Alu family consensus sequence in the introns of TMPRSS2 and ERG correlates with the presence/absence of fusion transcripts of theses two genes, indicating that these consensus sequences may contribute to genomic deletions and the fusion of TMPRSS2 and ERG in prostate cancer. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


APC/CTNNB1 (,-catenin) pathway alterations in human prostate cancers

GENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 1 2002
Amy V. Gerstein
Genetic alterations serve as beacons for the involvement of specific pathways in tumorigenesis. It was previously shown that 5% of prostate tumors harbor CTNNB1 mutations, suggesting that this tumor type may involve a deregulated APC/CTNNB1 pathway. To explore this possibility further, we searched for mutations in genes implicated in this pathway in 22 samples that included cell lines, xenografts, and primary tumors. We identified seven alterations: two in CTNNB1, three in APC, and two in hTRCP1 (also known as BTRC) which controls the degradation of CTNNB1. Alterations in the CTNNB1 regulatory domain, APC, and hTRCP1 were mutually exclusive, consistent with their equivalent effects on CTNNB1 stability. These results suggest that CTNNB1 signaling plays a critical role in the development of a significant fraction of prostate cancers. Moreover, they provide the first evidence that hTRCP1 plays a role in human neoplasia. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Histopathological and immunohistochemical characterization of canine prostate cancer

THE PROSTATE, Issue 5 2008
Chen-Li Lai
Abstract Background In this study we try to identify the origin of canine prostate cancer (cPC) by classifying the tumors histological subtypes and relate these subtypes to their combined expressional characteristics of several tissue specific and differentiation markers. Methods cPCs were examined histomorphologically and by immunohistochemical detection of the cytokeratin markers CK14, HMWCK, CK5, CK18, and CK7, and of the markers UPIII, PSA and PSMA. Results Histopathologically, six growth patterns could be differentiated. The most frequent patterns were solid, cribriform and micropapillary growth patterns, while sarcomatoid, small acinar/ductal, and tubulo-papillary growth patterns were less frequent present. Solid growth patterns were significantly (P,=,0.027) more often seen in castrated dogs. Immunohistochemically, about half of the cPC cases showed expression of PSA (8/20) and PSMA (10/20); 85% and 60% of the cPC expressed UPIII (17/20) and CK7 (12/20), while 13 and 12 cPC expressed CK5 and CK14, respectively; all cPC expressed CK18. CK14 was significantly more often and UPIII less frequent expressed in the solid growth patterns than in the micropapillary and cribriform patterns, respectively. Conclusions Canine prostate cancer appear to be more aggressive and of a less differentiated type than most common human prostate cancers. Comparing the expression patterns of the markers in cPC to those in normal canine prostate tissue, cPC most likely originates from the collecting ducts rather than from the peripheral acini. Given also the fact that canine prostate cancer is unresponsive to androgen withdrawal therapy, canine prostate cancer mostly resembles human, androgen refractory, poorly differentiated prostate cancer. Prostate 68: 477,488, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Expression of prothymosin alpha is correlated with development and progression in human prostate cancers

THE PROSTATE, Issue 5 2006
Shugo Suzuki
Abstract BACKGROUND Our previous study clearly demonstrated that decreased expression of prothymosin alpha (PTMA) was associated with inhibition of rat prostate carcinogenesis by isoflavones. The purpose of the present investigation was to provide a better understanding of the role of PTMA in human prostate cancers. METHODS AND RESULTS PTMA expression in 68 prostate cancer cases and in prostate cancer cell lines was examined by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting, and its levels were increased with progression from normal epithelium, through prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) to carcinomas, correlating with the Gleason's pattern. All cell lines studied (LNCaP, 22Rv1, DU145, and PC3) showed high PTMA expression compared with prostate epithelial cells (PrEC). Knockdown of PTMA expression in PC3 cells by RNAi resulted in the inhibition of both cell growth and invasion in vitro. CONCLUSIONS The present study clearly demonstrated that PTMA expression is intimately involved in the differentiation and progression of human prostate cancers, and could be a target for therapy and diagnostic purposes. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]