To gain insight into cellular factors regulating AR action that could promote castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), we performed a genome-wide RNAi screen for factors that promote ligand-independent AR transcriptional activity and integrated clinical databases for candidate genes that are positively associated with prostate cancer metastasis and recurrence. From this analysis, we identified Dynein Axonemal Heavy Chain 8 (DNAH8) as an AR regulator that displayed higher mRNA expression in metastatic than in primary tumors, and showed high expression in patients with poor prognosis. Axonemal dyneins function in cellular motility, but the function of DNAH8 in prostate cancer or other cell types has not been reported. DNAH8 is on chromosome 6q21.2, a cancer-associated amplicon, and is primarily expressed in prostate and testis. Its expression is higher in primary tumors compared to normal prostate, and is further increased in metastatic prostate cancers. Patients expressing high levels of DNAH8 have a greater risk of relapse and a poor prognosis after prostatectomy. Depletion of DNAH8 in prostate cancer cells suppressed AR transcriptional activity and proliferation. Androgen treatment increased DNAH8 mRNA expression, and AR bound the DNAH8 promoter sequence indicating DNAH8 is an AR target gene. Thus, DNAH8 is a new regulator of AR associated with metastatic tumors and poor prognosis.
PIM1 is a serine/threonine kinase that promotes and maintains prostate tumorigenesis. While PIM1 protein levels are elevated in prostate cancer relative to local disease, the mechanisms by which PIM1 contributes to oncogenesis have not been fully elucidated. Here, we performed a direct, unbiased chemical genetic screen to identify PIM1 substrates in prostate cancer cells. The PIM1 substrates we identified were involved in a variety of oncogenic processes, and included N-Myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 1 (NDRG1), which has reported roles in suppressing cancer cell invasion and metastasis. NDRG1 is phosphorylated by PIM1 at serine 330 (pS330), and the level of NDRG1 pS330 is associated higher grade prostate tumors. We have shown that PIM1 phosphorylation of NDRG1 at S330 reduced its stability, nuclear localization, and interaction with AR, resulting in enhanced cell migration and invasion.
PIM1 is an oncogenic serine/threonine kinase that promotes and maintains prostate tumorigenesis. To more fully understand the mechanism by which PIM1 promotes oncogenesis, we performed a chemical genetic screen to identify direct PIM1 substrates in prostate cancer cells. The PIM1 substrates we identified were involved in a variety of oncogenic processes, and included N-Myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 1 (NDRG1), which has reported roles in the suppression of cancer cell invasion and metastasis. NDRG1 is phosphorylated by PIM1 at serine 330 (pS330), and the level of NDRG1 pS330 is associated with high grade compared to low grade prostate tumors. While NDRG1 pS330 is largely cytoplasmic, total NDRG1 is both cytoplasmic and nuclear. Mechanistically, PIM1 phosphorylation of NDRG1 decreases its stability, reducing its interaction with AR, and thereby lowering expression of AR target genes.PIM1-dependent NDRG1 phosphorylation also reduces NDRG1's ability to suppress prostate cancer cell migration and invasion. Our study identifies a novel set of PIM1 substrates in prostate cancer cells using a direct, unbiased chemical genetic screen. It also provides key insights into the mechanisms by which PIM1-mediated phosphorylation of NDRG1 impairs its function, resulting in enhanced cell migration and invasion.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men in the United States. It depends on the signaling by the androgen receptor (AR), which is activated by testosterone. AR signaling promotes normal prostate development as well as cancer. Current treatments for prostate cancer include prostatectomy and androgen deprivation therapy. Although androgen deprivation is effective in halting prostate cancer growth, a group of men are often diagnosed with castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), which is refractory to hormone deprivation. Therefore, new targets are needed to stop prostate cancer growth. In this study, we investigated whether Homeodomain‐interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) affects AR signaling and prostate cancer cell growth. To do this, we utilized doxycycline‐induced shRNA‐mediated silencing of HIPK2 expression in 22Rv1 and LNCaP‐95, two cell lines that are refractory to androgen deprivation, and demonstrated substantial knockdown of both HIPK2 mRNA and protein. In addition, we observed significant changes in AR target gene expression. To determine the effects of HIPK2 knockdown on AR subcellular localization, we fractionated control and doxycycline‐treated 22Rv1 and LNCaP‐95 cells. We observed modest changes in chromatin‐bound AR upon HIPK2 depletion, suggesting that HIPK2 influences AR chromatin occupancy and in turn AR‐dependent transcription. We also tested HIPK2 catalytic inhibitors by examining their effects on 22Rv1 and LNCaP‐95 cellular proliferation, and phosphorylation a HIPK2 substrate, SIAH2. We found that HIPK2 inhibitors modestly affected the proliferation and substrate phosphorylation. Thus, HIPK2 can modulate AR activity, highlighting the role of HIPK2 as a new drug target for prostate cancer.Support or Funding InformationNew York University Langone Medical CenterThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 102,900 (colon) and 39,670 (rectal) new cases were obtained in 2010. An estimated 51,370 people have died from colon and rectal cancers combined. This makes colorectal cancer (CRC) the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Consequently, the development of an in-vivo imaging agent that is selective for CRC has long been needed. Much of the detection for tumorigenesis relies on the efficacy in detecting small tumors. Current agents are not selective and often stain tissue not associated with the cancer cells making it difficult to delineate between viable and tumorigenic entities. This project introduces a novel macrocycle conjugated to polyethylene glycol linker, which we hypothesize will serve as the template for a selective molecule with high fluorescence yields that greatly increases earlier detection. Our targeted remedy is a porphyrin that is conjugated to a peptide with an affinity for the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). Porphyrins are characteristically aromatically stable, contain trademark absorption bands in the visible and near-IR range, and have fluorescence quantum yields much above the current fluorophores. This makes the macrocycle optimal for confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) agent production. Consequently, we use a polyethylene glycol linker in order to increase water solubility, retain low toxicity, and to achieve high fluorescence quantum yields, as well as high conjugation yields. In this research, we were able to produce both precursors to the porphyrin-peptide conjugate, MesoPOR-(mono)-3PEG and MesoPOR-(di)-3PEG. These molecules were synthesized successfully with the use of peptide conjugation mechanisms. Molecular weights were confirmed using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS). Characterization was performed using 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) and Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis) of the intended molecules. The synthesized molecules, MesoPOR-(mono) 3PEG and MesoPOR-(di) 3PEG, will be useful in peptide conjugation that targets EGFR. These peptide ligands will increase selectivity and detect CRC via CLE. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5735. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5735
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