1,25-(OH)2Kip1 levels, inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) activity, hypophosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein, and accumulation of cells in G 1 . In this study, we investigated the mechanism whereby 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 increases p27 levels. 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 had no effect on p27 mRNA levels or on the regulation of a 3.5-kb fragment of the p27 promoter. Our previous studies established that the initial growth inhibition of LNCaP and its androgen-independent derivative LNCaP-104R1 by 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 correlates with an increase in the levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) p21 WAF1,CIP1 and p27 Kip1 , a profound decrease in cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) activity, hypophosphorylation of pRb, and accumulation of cells in the G 1 phase of the cell cycle (12, 13). 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 also decreased transcriptional activity of the E2F transcription factor family, which regulates the expression of genes necessary for S phase entry (12).The CKI p27 appears to play a more central role than p21 in growth inhibition mediated by 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 and its analogs (13,14). In several prostate cancer cell lines, 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 treatment results in persistent up-regulation of p27, whereas p21 is only induced transiently (12-14). In addition, 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 -mediated growth inhibition of the androgen-independent LNCaP-derivative LNCaP-104R1 cells occurs without induction of p21 (13).Loss of p27 expression correlates with prostate cancer recurrence, a more aggressive phenotype, and decreased patient prognosis and survival (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). Reduced p27 protein, however, is not the result of p27 gene mutations, which are quite rare in cancers (23-25). Activation of oncogenic signaling pathways ultimately results in accelerated p27 proteolysis and decreased p27 levels (26 -29). Understanding the mechanisms whereby p27 levels are regulated may yield new targets for potential anticancer agents. Because of the emerging role of p27 in controlling prostate cancer growth, we further investigated the mechanism of 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 regulation of this CKI in LNCaP cells.p27 is an important regulator of the G 1 to S phase transition. p27 binds and inhibits cyclin E/Cdk2 and thereby negatively regulates S phase entry. To traverse G 1 , cellular p27 levels must decrease. A major mechanism to achieve this regulation involves ubiquitin-dependent p27 proteolysis (30,31). Two rate-limiting steps for this process include phosphorylation at Thr 187 by Cdk2 and recognition of Thr 187 -phospho-p27 by the SCF skp2 ubiquitination system (17,(32)(33)(34)(35)(36). Recent studies have revealed a novel pathway for p27 degradation at the G 0 /early G 1 phase of the cell cycle that is independent of Thr 187 phos- Cdk2, cyclin-dependent kinase 2; UTR, untranslated region; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; CAK, Cdk-activating kinase.