Androgen Receptor-Interacting Proteins in Prostate Cancer Development and Therapy Resistance.

Endocrine therapy for prostate cancer is based on the use of drugs that diminish androgen concentration and androgen receptor (AR) signaling inhibitors and is limited by the functional consequences of AR point mutations and increased expression of constitutively active receptors. Many coactivators (>280) interact with different AR regions. Most studies have determined the expression of coactivators and their effects in the presence of increasing concentrations of androgen or the antiandrogen enzalutamide. The p160 group of coactivators (SRC-1, SRC-2, and SRC-3) is highly expressed in prostate cancer and contributes to ligand-dependent activation of the receptor in models that represent therapy-sensitive and therapy-resistant cell lines. The transcriptional coactivators p300 and CREB-binding protein (CBP) are implicated in the regulation of a large number of cellular events, such as proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. AR coactivators also may predict biochemical and clinical recurrence. The AR coactivator expression, which is enhanced in enzalutamide resistance, includes growth regulating estrogen receptor binding 1 (GREB1) and GATA-binding protein 2 (GATA2). Several coactivators also activate AR-unrelated signaling pathways, such as those of insulin-like growth factors, which inhibit apoptosis in cancer cells. They are expressed in multiple models of resistance to therapy and can be targeted by various inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. The role of the glucocorticoid receptor in endocrine therapy-resistant prostate cancer has been documented previously. Specific coactivators may interact with the glucocorticoid receptor, thus contributing to therapy failure.

New advances of the androgen receptor in prostate cancer: report from the 1st International Androgen Receptor Symposium.

The androgen receptor (AR) is a crucial player in various aspects of male reproduction and has been associated with the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). Therefore, the protein is the linchpin of current PCa therapies. Despite great research efforts, the AR signaling pathway has still not been deciphered, and the emergence of resistance is still the biggest problem in PCa treatment. To discuss the latest developments in AR research, the "1st International Androgen Receptor Symposium" offered a forum for the exchange of clinical and scientific innovations around the role of the AR in prostate cancer (PCa) and to stimulate new collaborative interactions among leading scientists from basic, translational, and clinical research. The symposium included three sessions covering preclinical studies, prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, and ongoing prostate cancer clinical trials. In addition, a panel discussion about the future direction of androgen deprivation therapy and anti-AR therapy in PCa was conducted. Therefore, the newest insights and developments in therapeutic strategies and biomarkers are discussed in this report.

The Oncogenic Protein Kinase/ATPase RIOK1 Is Up-Regulated via the c-myc/E2F Transcription Factor Axis in Prostate Cancer.

The atypical protein kinase/ATPase RIO kinase (RIOK)-1 is involved in pre-40S ribosomal subunit production, cell-cycle progression, and protein arginine N-methyltransferase 5 methylosome substrate recruitment. RIOK1 overexpression is a characteristic of several malignancies and is correlated with cancer stage, therapy resistance, poor patient survival, and other prognostic factors. However, its role in prostate cancer (PCa) is unknown. In this study, the expression, regulation, and therapeutic potential of RIOK1 in PCa were examined. RIOK1 mRNA and protein expression were elevated in PCa tissue samples and correlated with proliferative and protein homeostasis-related pathways. RIOK1 was identified as a downstream target gene of the c-myc/E2F transcription factors. Proliferation of PCa cells was significantly reduced with RIOK1 knockdown and overexpression of the dominant-negative RIOK1-D324A mutant. Biochemical inhibition of RIOK1 with toyocamycin led to strong antiproliferative effects in androgen receptor-negative and -positive PCa cell lines with EC50 values of 3.5 to 8.8 nmol/L. Rapid decreases in RIOK1 protein expression and total rRNA content, and a shift in the 28S/18S rRNA ratio, were found with toyocamycin treatment. Apoptosis was induced with toyocamycin treatment at a level similar to that with the chemotherapeutic drug docetaxel used in clinical practice. In summary, the current study indicates that RIOK1 is a part of the MYC oncogene network, and as such, could be considered for future treatment of patients with PCa.

Toll-Like Receptor 3 Overexpression Induces Invasion of Prostate Cancer Cells, whereas Its Activation Triggers Apoptosis.

Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) is an endosomal receptor expressed in several immune and epithelial cells. Recent studies have highlighted its expression also in solid tumors, including prostate cancer (PCa), and have described its role primarily in the proinflammatory response and induction of apoptosis. It is up-regulated in some castration-resistant prostate cancers. However, the role of TLR3 in prostate cancer progression remains largely unknown. The current study experimentally demonstrated that exogenous TLR3 activation in PCa cell lines leads to a significant induction of secretion of the cytokines IL-6, IL-8, and interferon-ß, depending on the model and chemoresistance status. Transcriptomic analysis of TLR3-overexpressing cells revealed a functional program that is enriched for genes involved in the regulation of cell motility, migration, and tumor invasiveness. Increased motility, migration, and invasion in TLR3-overexpressing cell line were confirmed by several in vitro assays and using an orthotopic prostate xenograft model in vivo. Furthermore, TLR3-ligand induced apoptosis via cleavage of caspase-3/7 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, predominantly in TLR3-overexpressing cells. These results indicate that TLR3 may be involved in prostate cancer progression and metastasis; however, it might also represent an Achilles heel of PCa, which can be exploited for targeted therapy.

Comparative proteome analysis identified CD44 as a possible serum marker for docetaxel resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Baseline or acquired resistance to docetaxel (DOC) represents a significant risk for patients with metastatic prostate cancer (PC). In the last years, novel therapy regimens have been approved providing reasonable alternatives for DOC-resistant patients making prediction of DOC resistance of great clinical importance. We aimed to identify serum biomarkers, which are able to select patients who will not benefit from DOC treatment. DOC-resistant PC3-DR and DU145-DR sublines and their sensitive parental cell lines (DU145, PC3) were comparatively analyzed using liquid chromatography-coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results were filtered using bioinformatics approaches to identify promising serum biomarkers. Serum levels of five proteins were determined in serum samples of 66 DOC-treated metastatic castration-resistant PC patients (mCRPC) using ELISA. Results were correlated with clinicopathological and survival data. CD44 was subjected to further functional cell culture analyses. We found at least 177 two-fold significantly overexpressed proteins in DOC-resistant cell lines. Our bioinformatics method suggested 11/177 proteins to be secreted into the serum. We determined serum levels of five (CD44, MET, GSN, IL13RA2 and LNPEP) proteins in serum samples of DOC-treated patients and found high CD44 serum levels to be independently associated with poor overall survival (p = 0.001). In accordance, silencing of CD44 in DU145-DR cells resulted in re-sensitization to DOC. In conclusion, high serum CD44 levels may help identify DOC-resistant patients and may thereby help optimize clinical decision-making regarding type and timing of therapy for mCRPC patients. In addition, our in vitro results imply the possible functional involvement of CD44 in DOC resistance.

Proteome profiling of enzalutamide-resistant cell lines and serum analysis identified ALCAM as marker of resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Enzalutamide (ENZA) is a frequently used therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Baseline or acquired resistance to ENZA have been observed, but the molecular mechanisms of resistance are poorly understood. We aimed to identify proteins involved in ENZA resistance and to find therapy-predictive serum markers. We performed comparative proteome analyses on ENZA-sensitive parental (LAPC4, DuCaP) and -resistant prostate cancer cell lines (LAPC4-ENZA, DuCaP-ENZA) using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The top four most promising candidate markers were selected using bioinformatic approaches. Serum concentrations of selected markers (ALCAM, AGR2, NDRG1, IDH1) were measured in pretreatment samples of 72 ENZA-treated mCRPC patients using ELISA. In addition, ALCAM serum levels were measured in 101 Abiraterone (ABI) and 100 Docetaxel (DOC)-treated mCRPC patients' baseline samples. Results were correlated with clinical and follow-up data. The functional role of ALCAM in ENZA resistance was assessed in vitro using siRNA. Our proteome analyses revealed 731 significantly differentially abundant proteins between ENZA-sensitive and -resistant cells and our filtering methods identified four biomarker candidates. Serum analyses of these proteins revealed only ALCAM to be associated with poor patient survival. Furthermore, higher baseline ALCAM levels were associated with poor survival in ABI- but not in DOC-treated patients. In LAPC4-ENZA resistant cells, ALCAM silencing by siRNA knockdown resulted in significantly enhanced ENZA sensitivity. Our analyses revealed that ALCAM serum levels may help to identify ENZA- and ABI-resistant patients and may thereby help to optimize future clinical decision-making. Our functional analyses suggest the possible involvement of ALCAM in ENZA resistance.

MYC-Mediated Ribosomal Gene Expression Sensitizes Enzalutamide-resistant Prostate Cancer Cells to EP300/CREBBP Inhibitors.

Patients with advanced prostate cancer are frequently treated with the antiandrogen enzalutamide. However, resistance eventually develops in virtually all patients, and various mechanisms have been associated with this process. The histone acetyltransferases EP300 and CREBBP are involved in regulation of cellular events in advanced prostate cancer. This study investigated the role of EP300/CREBBP inhibitors in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer. EP300/CREBBP inhibitors led to the same inhibition of androgen receptor activity in enzalutamide-resistant and -sensitive cells. However, enzalutamide-resistant cells were more sensitive to these inhibitors in viability assays. As indicated by the RNA-sequencing-based pathway analysis, genes related to the ribosome and MYC activity were significantly altered upon EP300/CREBBP inhibitor treatment. EP300/CREBBP inhibitors led to the down-regulation of ribosomal proteins RPL36 and RPL29. High-level ribosomal proteins amplifications and MYC amplifications were observed in castration-resistant prostate cancer samples of the publicly available Stand Up to Cancer data set. An inhibitor of RNA polymerase I-mediated transcription was used to evaluate the functional implications of these findings. The enzalutamide-resistant cell lines were more sensitive to this treatment. In addition, the migration rate of enzalutamide-resistant cells was strongly inhibited by this treatment. Taken together, the current data show that EP300/CREBBP inhibitors affect the MYC/ribosomal protein axis in enzalutamide-resistant cells and may have promising therapeutic implications.

Calcineurin inhibitor-induced complement system activation via ERK1/2 signalling is inhibited by SOCS-3 in human renal tubule cells.

One factor that significantly contributes to renal allograft loss is chronic calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) nephrotoxicity (CIN). Among other factors, the complement (C-) system has been proposed to be involved CIN development. Hence, we investigated the impact of CNIs on intracellular signalling and the effects on the C-system in human renal tubule cells. In a qPCR array, CNI treatment upregulated C-factors and downregulated SOCS-3 and the complement inhibitors CD46 and CD55. Additionally, ERK1/-2 was required for these regulations. Following knock-down and overexpression of SOCS-3, we found that SOCS-3 inhibits ERK1/-2 signalling. Finally, we assessed terminal complement complex formation, cell viability and apoptosis. Terminal complement complex formation was induced by CNIs. Cell viability was significantly decreased, whereas apoptosis was increased. Both effects were reversed under complement component-depleted conditions. In vivo, increased ERK1/-2 phosphorylation and SOCS-3 downregulation were observed at the time of transplantation in renal allograft patients who developed a progressive decline of renal function in the follow-up compared to stable patients. The progressive cohort also had lower total C3 levels, suggesting higher complement activity at baseline. In conclusion, our data suggest that SOCS-3 inhibits CNI-induced ERK1/-2 signalling, thereby blunting the negative control of C-system activation.

Robo 4 - the double-edged sword in prostate cancer: impact on cancer cell aggressiveness and tumor vasculature.

Background: The magic roundabout receptor 4 (Robo 4) is a tumor endothelial marker expressed in the vascular network of various tumor entities. However, the role of Robo 4 in prostate cancer (PCa), the second common cause of cancer death among men in -developed countries, has not been described yet. Thus, the present study investigates for the first time the impact of Robo 4 in PCa both in the clinical setting and in vitro. Methods and Results: Immunohistochemical analyses of benign and malignant prostate tissue samples of 95 PCa patients, who underwent radical prostatectomy (RPE), revealed a significant elevated expression of Robo 4 as well as its ligand Slit 2 protein in cancerous tissue compared to benign. Moreover, increased Robo 4 expression was associated with higher Gleason score and pT stage. In advanced stage we observed a hypothesis-generating trend that high Robo 4 and Slit 2 expression is associated with delayed development of tumor recurrence compared to patients with low Robo 4 and Slit 2 expression, respectively. In contrast to so far described exclusive expression of Robo 4 in the tumor vascular network, our analyses showed that in PCa Robo 4 is not only expressed in the tumor stroma but also in cancer epithelial cells. This finding was also confirmed in vitro as PC3 PCa cells express Robo 4 on mRNA as well as protein level. Overexpression of Robo 4 in PC3 as well as in Robo 4 negative DU145 and LNCaP PCa cells was associated with a significant decrease in cell-proliferation and cell-viability. Conclusion: In summary we observed that Robo 4 plays a considerable role in PCa development as it is expressed in cancer epithelial cells as well as in the surrounding tumor stroma. Moreover, higher histological tumor grade was associated with increased Robo 4 expression; controversially patients with high Robo 4 tend to exert lower biochemical recurrence possibly reflecting a protective role of Robo 4.

Inhibition of Nox4-dependent ROS signaling attenuates prostate fibroblast activation and abrogates stromal-mediated protumorigenic interactions.

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a key onco-supportive role during prostate cancer (PCa) development and progression. We previously reported that the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing enzyme NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) is essential for TGFß1-mediated activation of primary prostate human fibroblasts to a CAF-like phenotype. This study aimed to further investigate the functional relevance of prostatic Nox4 and determine whether pharmacological inhibition of stromal Nox4 abrogates paracrine-mediated PCa-relevant processes. RNA in situ hybridization revealed significantly elevated Nox4 mRNA levels predominantly in the peri-tumoral stroma of clinical PCa with intense stromal Nox4 staining adjacent to tumor foci expressing abundant TGFß protein levels. At pharmacologically relevant concentrations, the Nox1/Nox4 inhibitor GKT137831 attenuated ROS production, CAF-associated marker expression and migration of TGFß1-activated but not nonactivated primary human prostate fibroblasts. Similar effects were obtained upon shRNA-mediated silencing of Nox4 but not Nox1 indicating that GKT137831 primarily abrogates TGFß1-driven fibroblast activation via Nox4 inhibition. Moreover, inhibiting stromal Nox4 abrogated the enhanced proliferation and migration of PCa cell lines induced by TGFß1-activated prostate fibroblast conditioned media. These effects were not restricted to recombinant TGFß1 as conditioned media from PCa cell lines endogenously secreting high TGFß1 levels induced fibroblast activation in a stromal Nox4- and TGFß receptor-dependent manner. Importantly, GKT137831 also attenuated PCa cell-driven fibroblast activation. Collectively, these findings suggest the TGFß-Nox4 signaling axis is a key interface to dysregulated reciprocal stromal-epithelial interactions in PCa pathophysiology and provide a strong rationale for further investigating the applicability of Nox4 inhibition as a stromal-targeted approach to complement current PCa treatment modalities.

Matrix metalloproteinase 7, soluble Fas and Fas ligand serum levels for predicting docetaxel resistance and survival in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive value of pre-chemotherapy matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7), soluble Fas (sFas) and Fas ligand (FasL) serum levels, as well as their changes during therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum levels of MMP-7, Fas and FasL were determined by ELISA in 96 patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC): 21 docetaxel-resistant patients who received one single series and 75 docetaxel-sensitive patients who received repeated series of docetaxel. In addition to the 96 pretreatment serum samples, 987 sera collected during chemotherapy were also analysed. RESULTS: Higher pretreatment serum MMP-7, sFas and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were significantly associated with both docetaxel resistance (P = 0.007, P = 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively) and shorter cancer-specific survival (P < 0.001, P = 0.041, P < 0.001, respectively). High MMP-7 level remained an independent predictor of both docetaxel resistance (hazard ratio [HR] 2.298, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.354-3.899; P = 0.002) and poor cancer-specific survival (HR 2.11, 95% CI: 1.36-3.30; P = 0.001) in multivariable analyses. Greater increase in MMP-7 levels in the second treatment holiday and greater increase in PSA levels in the first and second treatment holidays were predictive of survival. CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment serum MMP-7 levels may help to select patients with CRPC who are likely to benefit from docetaxel chemotherapy. Furthermore, MMP-7 levels alone or in combination with PSA levels could be used for therapy monitoring. Correlative studies embedded in clinical trials are necessary to validate these biomarkers for clinical decision-making.

Glucocorticoid treatment influences prostate cancer cell growth and the tumor microenvironment via altered glucocorticoid receptor signaling in prostate fibroblasts.

Despite significant therapeutic advances in recent years, treatment of metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) remains palliative, owing to the inevitable occurrence of drug resistance. There is increasing evidence that epithelial glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling and changes in the tumor-microenvironment (TME) play important roles in this process. Since glucocorticoids (GCs) are used as concomitant medications in the course of PCa treatment, it is essential to investigate the impact of GCs on stromal GR signaling in the TME. Therefore, general GR mRNA and protein expression was assessed in radical prostatectomy specimens and metastatic lesions. Elevated stromal GR signaling after GC treatment resulted in altered GR-target gene, soluble protein expression, and in a morphology change of immortalized and primary isolated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Subsequently, these changes affected proliferation, colony formation, and 3D-spheroid growth of multiple epithelial PCa cell models. Altered expression of extra-cellular matrix (ECM) and adhesion-related proteins led to an ECM remodeling. Notably, androgen receptor pathway inhibitor treatments did not affect CAF viability. Our findings demonstrate that GC-mediated elevated GR signaling has a major impact on the CAF secretome and the ECM architecture. GC-treated fibroblasts significantly influence epithelial tumor cell growth and must be considered in future therapeutic strategies.

Cholinergic signaling via muscarinic M1 receptor confers resistance to docetaxel in prostate cancer.

Docetaxel is the most commonly used chemotherapy for advanced prostate cancer (PC), including castration-resistant disease (CRPC), but the eventual development of docetaxel resistance constitutes a major clinical challenge. Here, we demonstrate activation of the cholinergic muscarinic M1 receptor (CHRM1) in CRPC cells upon acquiring resistance to docetaxel, which is manifested in tumor tissues from PC patients post- vs. pre-docetaxel. Genetic and pharmacological inactivation of CHRM1 restores the efficacy of docetaxel in resistant cells. Mechanistically, CHRM1, via its first and third extracellular loops, interacts with the SEMA domain of cMET and forms a heteroreceptor complex with cMET, stimulating a downstream mitogen-activated protein polykinase program to confer docetaxel resistance. Dicyclomine, a clinically available CHRM1-selective antagonist, reverts resistance and restricts the growth of multiple docetaxel-resistant CRPC cell lines and patient-derived xenografts. Our study reveals a CHRM1-dictated mechanism for docetaxel resistance and identifies a CHRM1-targeted combinatorial strategy for overcoming docetaxel resistance in PC.

Targeting the glutamine metabolism to suppress cell proliferation in mesenchymal docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer.

Docetaxel (DX) serves as a palliative treatment option for metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Despite initial remission, acquired DX resistance is inevitable. The mechanisms behind DX resistance have not yet been deciphered, but a mesenchymal phenotype is associated with DX resistance. Mesenchymal phenotypes have been linked to metabolic rewiring, obtaining most ATP production by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) powered substantially by glutamine (Gln). Likewise, Gln is known to play an essential role in modulating bioenergetic, redox homeostasis and autophagy. Herein, investigations of Gln deprivation on DX-sensitive and -resistant (DR) PCa cells revealed that the DR cell sub-lines were susceptible to Gln deprivation. Mechanistically, Gln deprivation reduced OXPHOS and ATP levels, causing a disturbance in cell cycle progression. Genetic and chemical inhibition of the Gln-metabolism key protein GLS1 could validate the Gln deprivation results, thereby representing a valid therapeutic target. Moreover, immunohistological investigation of GLS1 revealed a high-expressing GLS1 subgroup post-docetaxel failure, exhibiting low overall survival. This subgroup presents an intriguing opportunity for targeted therapy focusing on glutamine metabolism. Thus, these findings highlight a possible clinical rationale for the chemical inhibition of GLS1 as a therapeutic strategy to target mesenchymal DR PCa cells, thereby delaying accelerated tumour progression.

Prediction of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer by a Specific Collagen-related Transcriptome, Proteome, and Urinome Signature.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: While collagen density has been associated with poor outcomes in various cancers, its role in prostate cancer (PCa) remains elusive. Our aim was to analyze collagen-related transcriptomic, proteomic, and urinome alterations in the context of detection of clinically significant PCa (csPCa, International Society of Urological Pathology [ISUP] grade group ≥2). METHODS: Comprehensive analyses for PCa transcriptome (n = 1393), proteome (n = 104), and urinome (n = 923) data sets focused on 55 collagen-related genes. Investigation of the cellular source of collagen-related transcripts via single-cell RNA sequencing was conducted. Statistical evaluations, clustering, and machine learning models were used for data analysis to identify csPCa signatures. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Differential expression of 30 of 55 collagen-related genes and 34 proteins was confirmed in csPCa in comparison to benign prostate tissue or ISUP 1 cancer. A collagen-high cancer cluster exhibited distinct cellular and molecular characteristics, including fibroblast and endothelial cell infiltration, intense extracellular matrix turnover, and enhanced growth factor and inflammatory signaling. Robust collagen-based machine learning models were established to identify csPCa. The models outcompeted prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and age, showing comparable performance to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in predicting csPCa. Of note, the urinome-based collagen model identified four of five csPCa cases among patients with Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-IRADS) 3 lesions, for which the presence of csPCa is considered equivocal. The retrospective character of the study is a limitation. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Collagen-related transcriptome, proteome, and urinome signatures exhibited superior accuracy in detecting csPCa in comparison to PSA and age. The collagen signatures, especially in cases of ambiguous lesions on mpMRI, successfully identified csPCa and could potentially reduce unnecessary biopsies. The urinome-based collagen signature represents a promising liquid biopsy tool that requires prospective evaluation to improve the potential of this collagen-based approach to enhance diagnostic precision in PCa for risk stratification and guiding personalized interventions. PATIENT SUMMARY: In our study, collagen-related alterations in tissue, and urine were able to predict the presence of clinically significant prostate cancer at primary diagnosis.

Emerging frontiers in androgen receptor research for prostate Cancer: insights from the 2nd international androgen receptor Symposium.

Continued exploration of the androgen receptor (AR) is crucial, as it plays pivotal roles in diverse diseases such as prostate cancer (PCa), serving as a significant therapeutic focus. Therefore, the Department of Urology Dresden hosted an international meeting for scientists and clinical oncologists to discuss the newest advances in AR research. The 2nd International Androgen Receptor Symposium was held in Dresden, Saxony, Germany, from 26-27.04.2024, organised by Dr. Holger H.H. Erb. Following the format of the first meeting, more than 35 scientists from 8 countries attended the event to discuss recent developments, research challenges, and identification of venues in AR research. An important new feature was the involvement of PhD students and young investigators, acknowledging the high scientific quality of their work. The symposium included three covers: new advances from clinical research, basic and translational research, and novel strategies to target AR. Moreover, based on its increasing clinical relevance, a PSMA theranostic mini-symposium was added at the end of the AR symposium to allow the audience to discuss the newest advances in PSMA theranostic. This report focuses on the highlights and discussions of the meeting.

SOCS-3 is downregulated in progressive CKD patients and regulates proliferation in human renal proximal tubule cells in a STAT1/3 independent manner.

Proliferation and the sequence of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET), called epithelial-mesenchymal-epithelial (EME) cycling are pivotal mechanisms of kidney repair and fibrosis. Furthermore, data suggest that dedifferentiation (EMT) is a prerequisite for proliferation of tubule cells. These processes have been shown to be regulated by STAT1/3 signaling. Suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS-3) is a negative regulator of STAT1/3 signaling. Using a transcriptomics data set of patients with proteinuric kidney diseases we found that low levels of SOCS-3 RNA were associated with high-serum creatinine values in the long-term follow-up, which suggested a role of SOCS-3, regulated signaling in progression of chronic kidney disease. This result was validated in an independent cohort of patients with proteinuric nephropathies on protein level. In addition ∼60% of STAT target genes were differentially expressed in relation to stable kidney disease patients. Using two renal cellular models and SOCS-3 knockdown by short interfering RNA we investigated SOCS-3 effects on oncostatin M-induced STAT activation, differentiation and proliferation. SOCS-3 knockdown resulted in enhanced pSTAT1/3 phosphorylation and epithelial differentiation. The latter effect was only slightly enhanced by OSM treatment. Cellular proliferation was inhibited after SOCS-3 knockdown. This effect could not be further stimulated by OSM. Effects of SOCS-3 knockdown were not enhanced by downregulation of STAT1/3, suggesting a STAT independent effect on cell cycle regulators. Indeed, knockdown and overexpression of SOCS-3 were associated with decrease and increase of cyclin D1, -E and proliferation, respectively. In summary, SOCS-3 inhibits phosphorylation of pSTAT1/3 in renal tubule cells. Additionally, we show for the first time that-in vivo-loss of SOCS-3 is associated with unfavorable prognosis. In vitro, downregulation of SOCS-3 inhibits dedifferentiation (EMT) and cellular proliferation in kidney proximal tubule cells.

PIAS1 is increased in human prostate cancer and enhances proliferation through inhibition of p21.

Prostate cancer development and progression are associated with alterations in expression and function of elements of cytokine networks, some of which can activate multiple signaling pathways. Protein inhibitor of activated signal transducers and activators of transcription (PIAS)1, a regulator of cytokine signaling, may be implicated in the modulation of cellular events during carcinogenesis. This study was designed to investigate the functional significance of PIAS1 in models of human prostate cancer. We demonstrate for the first time that PIAS1 protein expression is significantly higher in malignant areas of clinical prostate cancer specimens than in normal tissues, thus suggesting a growth-promoting role for PIAS1. Expression of PIAS1 was observed in the majority of tested prostate cancer cell lines. In addition, we investigated the mechanism by which PIAS1 might promote prostate cancer and found that down-regulation of PIAS1 leads to decreased proliferation and colony formation ability of prostate cancer cell lines. This decrease correlates with cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase, which is mediated by increased expression of p21(CIP1/WAF1). Furthermore, PIAS1 overexpression positively influences cell cycle progression and thereby stimulates proliferation, which can be mechanistically explained by a decrease in the levels of cellular p21. Taken together, our data reveal an important new role for PIAS1 in the regulation of cell proliferation in prostate cancer.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition leads to docetaxel resistance in prostate cancer and is mediated by reduced expression of miR-200c and miR-205.

Docetaxel is a standard chemotherapy for patients with metastatic prostate cancer. However, the response is rather limited and not all of the patients benefit from this treatment. To uncover key mechanisms of docetaxel insensitivity in prostate cancer, we have established docetaxel-resistant sublines. In this study, we report that docetaxel-resistant cells underwent an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition during the selection process, leading to diminished E-cadherin levels and up-regulation of mesenchymal markers. Screening for key regulators of an epithelial phenotype revealed a significantly reduced expression of microRNA (miR)-200c and miR-205 in docetaxel-resistant cells. Transfection of either microRNA (miRNA) resulted in re-expression of E-cadherin. Functional assays confirmed reduced adhesive and increased invasive and migratory abilities. Furthermore, we detected an increased subpopulation with stem cell-like properties in resistant cells. Tissue microarray analysis revealed a reduced E-cadherin expression in tumors after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Low E-cadherin levels could be linked to tumor relapse. The present study uncovers epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition as a hallmark of docetaxel resistance. Therefore, we suggest that this mechanism is at least in part responsible for chemotherapy failure, with implications for the development of novel therapeutics.

Enhanced inhibition of prostate tumor growth by dual targeting the androgen receptor and the regulatory subunit type iα of protein kinase a in vivo.

Progression to castration resistance is a major problem in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer and is likely to be driven by activation of several molecular pathways, including androgen receptor (AR) and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). In this study, we examined the therapeutic efficacy of a combined inhibition of the AR and the regulatory subunit type Iα (RIα) of protein kinase A with second generation antisense oligonucleotides (ODNs) in androgen-sensitive LNCaP and castration-resistant LNCaPabl tumors in vivo. We found that targeting the AR alone inhibited LNCaP, as well as LNCaPabl tumors. Combined inhibition resulted in an improved response over single targeting and even a complete tumor remission in LNCaPabl. Western blot analysis revealed that both ODNs were effective in reducing their target proteins when administered alone or in combination. In addition, treatment with the ODNs was associated with an induction of apoptosis. Our data suggest that dual targeting of the AR and PKARIα is more effective in inhibiting LNCaP and LNCaPabl tumor growth than single treatment and may give a treatment benefit, especially in castration-resistant prostate cancers.