Prostate cancer, the most frequently diagnosed carcinoma in males, is readily modulated via the transcriptional activity of androgen receptors. Our recent publication reported that androgen receptor-dependent transcription is significantly elevated with expression of the human sentrin/SUMO-specific protease (SENP1) in the androgen-sensitive human prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP). In situ hybridization studies indicated an elevation of SENP1 message in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer lesions as compared with normal prostate epithelia. This study aimed to delineate the mechanism for the regulation of SENP1 message and to determine the pathophysiological consequence of SENP1 induction with respect to prostate cancer. Real-time PCR confirmed the elevation of SENP1 mRNA in prostate cancer cells as compared with normal prostate epithelial cells. Chronic androgen exposure of LNCaP cells prompted an enhancement in the SENP1 transcript selectively. This androgen-mediated augmentation of SENP1 was absent with co-administration of the androgen receptor antagonist bicalutamide and in androgen receptor-negative prostate cancer PC-3 cells, indicating an androgen receptor-dependent event. Activation of the androgen receptor was required for binding an identified androgen response element and positively regulating SENP1 promoter activity. Abrogation of elevated SENP1 mRNA in prostate cancer cells significantly decreased androgen-mediated cell growth. Because increased SENP1 expression directly modulated androgen receptor-dependent cell proliferation and transcription, SENP1 could play an important role in prostate carcinogenesis.
Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)3 mediates a diverse array of cellular events by conjugating to numerous protein substrates. Recent reports have focused on the ability of SUMOylation to regulate the transcriptional activity of nuclear receptors, transcription factors, and co-regulatory proteins (1-6). The three mammalian SUMO proteins, SUMO1, SUMO2, and SUMO3, form covalent bonds with cellular targets in a sequential manner analogous to ubiquitin (7,8). A family of human SUMO-specific proteases (SENP) (9) can selectively deconjugate SUMOylated proteins and hence dictate SUMO dynamics. Our laboratory cloned the first human SUMO protease, SENP1 (9), and since its discovery, SENP1 has become the best characterized of the SENP family. It is localized exclusively in the nucleus and deconjugates many SUMO substrates (9 -11). SENP1 shares the greatest homology with SENP2 (9, 12, 13). In contrast, SENP1 differs significantly from SENP3 and SENP5, which constitute an independent subfamily based on their nucleolar localization and preference for deSUMOylation of SUMO2 and SUMO3 conjugates (14).Recently, we reported that SENP1 plays a prominent role in the regulation of the androgen receptor (AR)-dependent transcription (10). Under physiological conditions, the AR dictates the development and normal growth of the prostate gland. The androgen 5␣-dihydrotestosterone binds AR to prompt t...