ABSTRACT
Objective: The NKX3.1 homeobox gene is closely associated with the development and progression of prostate cancer. This study was to explore NKX3.1-related down-stream node genes and their possible regulating mechanisms in prostate cancer. Methods: By multi-omics analysis of the TCGA data on prostate cancer,we screened 5 node genes in the down-stream signaling pathways that were possibly related to NKX3.1.We achieved the overexpression of NKX3.1 in prostate cancer by transfecting the prostate cancer PC-3 cell lines with the NKX3.1 expression vector and determined the expression levels of the node genes by real-time PCR. Results: Based on the results of multi-omics analysis,MAZ,LPAR3,TUBB2A,CAMKK2 and CPT1B were identified as the node genes involved in the NKX3.1-related signaling pathways in prostate cancer. The NKX3.1 overexpression experiments showed that the CAMKK2 and CPT1B genes were up-regulated 3. 439 and 4. 641 times respectively and the MAZ gene down-regulated 5.236 times in the prostate cancer PC-3 cells with the overexpression of NKX3.1. Conclusion: NKX3.1 may suppress the development and progression of prostate cancer by down-regulating the expression of MAZ and up-regulating those of CAMKK2 and CPT1B,and it may also be involved in the regulation of the metabolic process of prostate cancer through the CAMKK2 down-stream signaling pathway and CPT1B.