Prostate cancer risk prediction based on clinical factors and prostate-specific antigen

Increased GPR35 expression is correlated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

G-protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) has been reported to be overexpressed in several types of human cancers, playing essential roles in tumorigenesis and development. However, its expression and prognostic value in Prostate cancer (PCa) remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the expression of GPR35 and its prognostic value in PCa.

METHODS

The expression of GPR35 was analyzed using the public database and validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in PCa tissues. Subsequently, the correlation between GPR35 expression and the clinical characteristics was evaluated using the Chi-squared test. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyze the data. Hazard Ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for each factor.

RESULTS

GPR35 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression were confirmed to be overexpressed in PCa tissue samples. Furthermore, high GPR35 mRNA expression was correlated with clinical tumor stage (T stage) (P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001), primary therapy outcome (P = 0.009), residual tumor (P < 0.001), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (P = 0.004), and Gleason score (P < 0.001). IHC analysis also confirmed that GPR35 overexpression was associated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.010). Additionally, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that PCa patients with high expression of GPR35 were associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (HR: 3.370, 95% CI: 1.085-10.470, P = 0.047), progress free interval (PFI) (HR: 3.385, 95% CI: 2.234-5.131, P < 0.001), and biochemical relapse time (BCR) (HR: 2.229, 95% CI: 1.308-3.801, P = 0.007). Moreover, univariate Cox regression analyses suggested that T stage (P < 0.001), lymph node involvement (P = 0.046), serum PSA levels (P = 0.013), Gleason score (P < 0.001), and GPR35 expression (P < 0.001) were unfavorable prognostic factors for PCA patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that GPR35 was an independent poor prognostic factor of PCa patients (HR: 1.915, 95%CI: 1.368-2.682).

CONCLUSION

Overexpression of GPR35 is associated with poor clinical prognosis, suggesting that GPR35 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for PCa.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.

TWIK Complex Expression in Prostate Cancer: Insights into the Biological and Therapeutic Significances of Potassium Ion Channels in Clinical Cancer

Ion channels play ubiquitous roles in the maintenance of tumour cell homeostasis and hence are attractive targets in the molecular pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to investigate the roles of the potassium ion channel complex TWIK, a member of the two-pore-domain potassium channel subfamily, in clinical PCa. The clinicopathological, gene expression, and copy number data of three clinical PCa cohorts from cancer genomics databases were analysed to determine the clinicopathological, biological, and therapeutic significances of the TWIK expression signature using statistical correlations and gene enrichment techniques. The results show that the PCa subset with high TWIK expression exhibited associations with worse pathological tumours, nodes, and overall tumour stages, as well as with high Gleason scores, high prognostic grade groups, and poorer responses to androgen deprivation therapy. Furthermore, a combination of gene set and gene ontology enrichment analyses showed that the PCa subset with high TWIK complex expression was differentially enriched for known oncogenic signalling pathways, aberrant ubiquitination and glucuronidation activities, and for gene sets of ion channel blockers and chemotherapeutic agents. The implications of these findings with respect to cancer progression, therapeutic response, and opportunities for therapeutic targeting of the TWIK complex are discussed, along with the potential of the TWIK complex as a predictive biomarker for integrated, multitargeted therapy.

Bolstering CD8+ T Cells' Antitumor Immunity: A Promising Strategy to Improve the Response to Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment

Prostate cancer is among the most frequently diagnosed and deadly cancers among men in the Western world. It is typically classified as an immune "cold" tumor due to its sparse immune cell presence and limited immunogenic response. Recent research has revealed the significant role of immune cells, especially CD8+ T cells, in both prostate cancer progression and treatment efficacy. This review integrates recent findings to provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of CD8+ T cell dynamics in prostate cancer and discusses emerging strategies to improve treatment outcomes. The ongoing exploration of new molecular targets and the development of innovative immunotherapeutic approaches hold promise for more effective management of prostate cancer, particularly in the context of advanced and resistant forms of the disease.

Exploring the Link Between Obligate Anaerobe-Related Dysbiosis and Prostate Cancer Development: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Several independent studies have associated prostate cancer (PCa) with specific groups of bacteria, most of them reporting the presence of anaerobic or microaerophilic species such as Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes). Such findings suggest a prostate cancer-related bacterial dysbiosis, in a manner similar to the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer. In an earlier exploratory study looking for such dysbiosis events, using a culturomics approach, we discovered that the presence of obligate anaerobes (OAs) along with C. acnes was associated with increased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in 39 participants.

METHODS

Building on this, in this study, we analyzed 89 post-rectal examination urine samples, from men with prostate cancer attending the PROVENT trial, using 16S rDNA sequencing. Our investigation focused on the impact of six previously identified OA genera (Finegoldia, Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Peptoniphilus_A, Peptostreptococcus, and Veillonella_A) on PSA levels. However, an additional data-driven approach was followed to uncover more taxa linked to increased PSA.

RESULTS

Our analysis revealed a statistically significant association between Peptostreptococcus and elevated PSA levels. Additionally, there were potential interactions between Prevotella and Fusobacterium. Interestingly, we also found that an aerobe, Ochrobactrum_A,was significantly linked to higher PSA levels.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that OA-related dysbiosis may contribute to elevated PSA levels through prostate cell damage even before prostate cancer develops, possibly playing a role in chronic inflammation and the hypervascular changes seen in precancerous lesions. Future clinical trials with larger cohorts are needed to further evaluate the role of OA in prostate cancer development and progression.