scholarly journals The epigenetic and transcriptional landscape of neuroendocrine prostate cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. R35-R50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alastair Davies ◽  
Amina Zoubeidi ◽  
Luke A Selth

Tumours adapt to increasingly potent targeted therapies by transitioning to alternative lineage states. In prostate cancer, the widespread clinical application of androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitors has led to the insurgence of tumours relapsing with a neuroendocrine phenotype, termed neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). Recent evidence suggests that this lineage reprogramming is driven largely by dysregulation of the epigenome and transcriptional networks. Indeed, aberrant DNA methylation patterning and altered expression of epigenetic modifiers, such as EZH2, transcription factors, and RNA-modifying factors, are hallmarks of NEPC tumours. In this review, we explore the nature of the epigenetic and transcriptional landscape as prostate cancer cells lose their AR-imposed identity and transition to the neuroendocrine lineage. Beyond addressing the mechanisms underlying epithelial-to-neuroendocrine lineage reprogramming, we discuss how oncogenic signaling and metabolic shifts fuel epigenetic/transcriptional changes as well as the current state of epigenetic therapies for NEPC.

BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eddie Luidy Imada ◽  
Diego Fernando Sanchez ◽  
Wikum Dinalankara ◽  
Thiago Vidotto ◽  
Ericka M. Ebot ◽  
...  

Abstract Background PTEN is the most frequently lost tumor suppressor in primary prostate cancer (PCa) and its loss is associated with aggressive disease. However, the transcriptional changes associated with PTEN loss in PCa have not been described in detail. In this study, we highlight the transcriptional changes associated with PTEN loss in PCa. Methods Using a meta-analysis approach, we leveraged two large PCa cohorts with experimentally validated PTEN and ERG status by Immunohistochemistry (IHC), to derive a transcriptomic signature of PTEN loss, while also accounting for potential confounders due to ERG rearrangements. This signature was expanded to lncRNAs using the TCGA quantifications from the FC-R2 expression atlas. Results The signatures indicate a strong activation of both innate and adaptive immune systems upon PTEN loss, as well as an expected activation of cell-cycle genes. Moreover, we made use of our recently developed FC-R2 expression atlas to expand this signature to include many non-coding RNAs recently annotated by the FANTOM consortium. Highlighting potential novel lncRNAs associated with PTEN loss and PCa progression. Conclusion We created a PCa specific signature of the transcriptional landscape of PTEN loss that comprises both the coding and an extensive non-coding counterpart, highlighting potential new players in PCa progression. We also show that contrary to what is observed in other cancers, PTEN loss in PCa leads to increased activation of the immune system. These findings can help the development of new biomarkers and help guide therapy choices.


2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. nrs.06009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Wang ◽  
Chih-Cheng Tsai

The normal development and physiological functions of multicellular organisms are regulated by complex gene transcriptional networks that include myriad transcription factors, their associating coregulators, and multiple chromatin-modifying factors. Aberrant gene transcriptional regulation resulting from mutations among these elements often leads to developmental defects and diseases. This review article concentrates on the Atrophin family proteins, including vertebrate Atrophin-1 (ATN1), vertebrate arginine-glutamic acid dipeptide repeats protein (RERE), and Drosophila Atrophin (Atro), which we recently identified as nuclear receptor corepressors. Disruption of Atrophin-mediated pathways causes multiple developmental defects in mouse, zebrafish, and Drosophila, while an aberrant form of ATN1 and altered expression levels of RERE are associated with neurodegenerative disease and cancer in humans, respectively. We here provide an overview of current knowledge about these Atrophin proteins. We hope that this information on Atrophin proteins may help stimulate fresh ideas about how this newly identified class of nuclear receptor corepressors aids specific nuclear receptors and other transcriptional factors in regulating gene transcription, manifesting physiological effects, and causing diseases.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eddie Luidy Imada ◽  
Diego Fernando Sanchez ◽  
Wikum Dinalankara ◽  
Thiago Vidotto ◽  
Ericka M Ebot ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTPTEN is the most frequently lost tumor suppressor in primary prostate cancer (PCa) and its loss is associated with aggressive disease. However, the transcriptional changes associated with PTEN loss in PCa have not been described in detail. Here, we applied a meta-analysis approach, leveraging two large PCa cohorts with experimentally validated PTEN and ERG status, to derive a transcriptomic signature of PTEN loss, while also accounting for potential confounders due to ERG rearrangements. Strikingly, the signature indicates a strong activation of both innate and adaptive immune systems upon PTEN loss, as well as an expected activation of cell-cycle genes. Moreover, we made use of our recently developed FC-R2 expression atlas to expand this signature to include many non-coding RNAs recently annotated by the FANTOM consortium. With this resource, we analyzed the TCGA-PRAD cohort, creating a comprehensive transcriptomic landscape of PTEN loss in PCa that comprises both the coding and an extensive non-coding counterpart.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 692
Author(s):  
Roosa Kaarijärvi ◽  
Heidi Kaljunen ◽  
Kirsi Ketola

Neuroendocrine plasticity and treatment-induced neuroendocrine phenotypes have recently been proposed as important resistance mechanisms underlying prostate cancer progression. Treatment-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC) is highly aggressive subtype of castration-resistant prostate cancer which develops for one fifth of patients under prolonged androgen deprivation. In recent years, understanding of molecular features and phenotypic changes in neuroendocrine plasticity has been grown. However, there are still fundamental questions to be answered in this emerging research field, for example, why and how do the prostate cancer treatment-resistant cells acquire neuron-like phenotype. The advantages of the phenotypic change and the role of tumor microenvironment in controlling cellular plasticity and in the emergence of treatment-resistant aggressive forms of prostate cancer is mostly unknown. Here, we discuss the molecular and functional links between neurodevelopmental processes and treatment-induced neuroendocrine plasticity in prostate cancer progression and treatment resistance. We provide an overview of the emergence of neurite-like cells in neuroendocrine prostate cancer cells and whether the reported t-NEPC pathways and proteins relate to neurodevelopmental processes like neurogenesis and axonogenesis during the development of treatment resistance. We also discuss emerging novel therapeutic targets modulating neuroendocrine plasticity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siyuan Cheng ◽  
Shu Yang ◽  
Yingli Shi ◽  
Runhua Shi ◽  
Yunshin Yeh ◽  
...  

AbstractHOX gene-encoded homeobox proteins control body patterning during embryonic development; the specific expression pattern of HOX genes may correspond to tissue identity. In this study, using RNAseq data of 1019 human cancer cell lines that originated from 24 different anatomic sites, we established HOX codes for various types of tissues. We applied these HOX codes to the transcriptomic profiles of prostate cancer (PCa) samples and found that the majority of prostate adenocarcinoma (AdPCa) samples sustained a prostate-specific HOX code whereas the majority of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPCa) samples did not, which reflects the anaplastic nature of NEPCa. Also, our analysis showed that the NEPCa samples did not correlate well with the HOX codes of any other tissue types, indicating that NEPCa tumors lose their prostate identities but do not gain new tissue identities. Additionally, using immunohistochemical staining, we evaluated the prostatic expression of HOXB13, the most prominently changed HOX gene in NEPCa. We found that HOXB13 was expressed in both benign prostatic tissues and AdPCa but its expression was reduced or lost in NEPCa. Furthermore, we treated PCa cells with all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and found that the reduced HOXB13 expression can be reverted. This suggests that ATRA is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of NEPCa tumors by reversing them to a more treatable AdPCa.


2008 ◽  
Vol 283 (28) ◽  
pp. 19872
Author(s):  
Florian Gackière ◽  
Gabriel Bidaux ◽  
Philippe Delcourt ◽  
Fabien Van Coppenolle ◽  
Maria Katsogiannou ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Divya Bhagirath ◽  
Michael Liston ◽  
Theresa Akoto ◽  
Byron Lui ◽  
Barbara A. Bensing ◽  
...  

AbstractNeuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), a highly aggressive variant of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), often emerges upon treatment with androgen pathway inhibitors, via neuroendocrine differentiation. Currently, NEPC diagnosis is challenging as available markers are not sufficiently specific. Our objective was to identify novel, extracellular vesicles (EV)-based biomarkers for diagnosing NEPC. Towards this, we performed small RNA next generation sequencing in serum EVs isolated from a cohort of CRPC patients with adenocarcinoma characteristics (CRPC-Adeno) vs CRPC-NE and identified significant dysregulation of 182 known and 4 novel miRNAs. We employed machine learning algorithms to develop an ‘EV-miRNA classifier’ that could robustly stratify ‘CRPC-NE’ from ‘CRPC-Adeno’. Examination of protein repertoire of exosomes from NEPC cellular models by mass spectrometry identified thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) as a specific biomarker. In view of our results, we propose that a miRNA panel and TSP1 can be used as novel, non-invasive tools to identify NEPC and guide treatment decisions. In conclusion, our study identifies for the first time, novel non-invasive exosomal/extracellular vesicle based biomarkers for detecting neuroendocrine differentiation in advanced castration resistant prostate cancer patients with important translational implications in clinical management of these patients that is currently extremely challenging.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document