Cyclin D1 expression in prostate carcinoma

Cyclin D1 expression in penile cancer

The main goal of the present study was to analyze the expression profile of cyclin D1 in patients with PC, and to determine possible correlations with clinical and histopathological features. A survey was conducted with 100 patients diagnosed with PC, who were treated at two reference hospitals in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil, between 2013 and 2017. A review of clinical, epidemiological, and histopathological data was performed, Human Papillomavírus (HPV) DNA was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cyclin D1 expression analysis was performed using immunohistochemical techniques. The data revealed that the absence of cyclin D1 expression was significantly associated with HPV-positive histological subtypes (p = 0.001), while its expression was associated with high-grade tumors (p = 0.014), histological subtype (p = 0.001), presence of sarcomatoid transformation (p = 0.04), and perineural invasion (p = 0.023). Patients with cyclin D1 expression exhibited lower disease-free survival compared to the cyclin D1-negative group, although the difference was not statistically significant. The results suggest that cyclin D1 may be a potential biomarker for PC, especially for poorer prognosis.

Inhibition of the Cyclin K-CDK12 complex induces DNA damage and increases the effect of androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the mainstay of the current first-line treatment concepts for patients with advanced prostate carcinoma (PCa). However, due to treatment failure and recurrence investigation of new targeted therapeutics is urgently needed. In this study, we investigated the suitability of the Cyclin K-CDK12 complex as a novel therapeutic approach in PCa using the new covalent CDK12/13 inhibitor THZ531. Here we show that THZ531 impairs cellular proliferation, induces apoptosis, and decreases the expression of selected DNA repair genes in PCa cell lines, which is associated with an increasing extent of DNA damage. Furthermore, combination of THZ531 and ADT leads to an increase in these anti-tumoral effects in androgen-sensitive PCa cells. The anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activity of THZ531 in combination with ADT was validated in an ex vivo PCa tissue culture model. In a retrospective immunohistochemical analysis of 300 clinical tissue samples we show that Cyclin K (CycK) but not CDK12 expression correlates with a more aggressive type of PCa. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the clinical relevance of the CycK-CDK12 complex as a promising target for combinational therapy with ADT in PCa and its importance as a prognostic biomarker for patients with PCa.

Molecular biomarkers in prostate cancer tumorigenesis and clinical relevance

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent type of cancer in men and assessing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) by liquid biopsy is a promising tool to help in cancer early detection, staging, risk of recurrence evaluation, treatment prediction and monitoring. Blood-based liquid biopsy approaches enable the enrichment, detection and characterization of CTCs by biomarker analysis. Hence, comprehending the molecular markers, their role on each stage of cancer development and progression is essential to provide information that can help in future implementation of these biomarkers in clinical assistance. In this review, we studied the molecular markers most associated with PCa CTCs to better understand their function on tumorigenesis and metastatic cascade, the methodologies utilized to analyze these biomarkers and their clinical significance, in order to summarize the available information to guide researchers in their investigations, new hypothesis formulation and target choice for the development of new diagnostic and treatment tools.

Perineural invasion-associated biomarkers for tumor development

Perineural invasion (PNI) is the process of neoplastic invasion of peripheral nerves and is considered to be the fifth mode of cancer metastasis. PNI has been detected in head and neck tumors and pancreatic, prostate, bile duct, gastric, and colorectal cancers. It leads to poor prognostic outcomes and high local recurrence rates. Despite the increasing number of studies on PNI, targeted therapeutic modalities have not been proposed. The identification of PNI-related biomarkers would facilitate the non-invasive and early diagnosis of cancers, the establishment of prognostic panels, and the development of targeted therapeutic approaches. In this review, we compile information on the molecular mediators involved in PNI-associated cancers. The expression and prognostic significance of molecular mediators and their receptors in PNI-associated cancers are analyzed, and the possible mechanisms of action of these mediators in PNI are explored, as well as the association of cells in the microenvironment where PNI occurs.

Deciphering the enigmatic crosstalk between prostate cancer and Alzheimer's disease: A current update on molecular mechanisms and combination therapy

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and prostate cancer (PCa) are considered the leading causes of death in elderly people worldwide. Although both these diseases have striking differences in their pathologies, a few underlying mechanisms are similar when cell survival is considered. In the current study, we employed an in-silico approach to decipher the possible role of bacterial proteins in the initiation and progression of AD and PCa. We further analyzed the molecular connections between these two life-threatening diseases. The androgen deprivation therapy used against PCa has been shown to promote castrate resistant PCa as well as AD. In addition, cell signaling pathways, such as Akt, IGF, and Wnt contribute to the progression of both AD and PCa. Besides, various proteins and genes are also common in disease progression. One such similarity is mTOR signaling. mTOR is the common downstream target for many signaling pathways and plays a vital role in both PCa and AD. Targeting mTOR can be a favorable line of treatment for both AD and PCa. However, drug resistance is one of the challenges in effective drug therapy. A few drugs that target mTOR have now become ineffective due to the development of resistance. In that regard, phytochemicals can be a rich source of novel drug candidates as they can act via multiple mechanisms. This review also presents mTOR targeting phytochemicals with promising anti-PCa, anti-AD activities, and approaches to overcome the issues associated with phytochemical-based therapies in clinical trials.

Identification of novel biomarkers differentially expressed between African-American and Caucasian-American prostate cancer patients

Prostate cancer (PCa) incidence and mortality rate vary among racial and ethnic groups with the highest occurrence in African American (AA) men who have mortality rates twice that of Caucasians (CA). In this study, we focused on differential expression of proteins in AA prostate cancer compared to CA using Protein Pathway Array Analysis (PPAA), in order to identify protein biomarkers associated with PCa racial disparity. Fresh frozen prostate samples (n=90) obtained from radical prostatectomy specimens with PCa, including 25 AA tumor, 21 AA benign, 23 CA tumor, 21 CA benign samples were analyzed. A total of 286 proteins and phosphoproteins were assessed using PPAA. By PPAA analysis, 33 proteins were found to be significantly differentially expressed in tumor tissue (n=48, including both CA and AA) in comparison to benign tissue (n=42). We further compared protein expression levels between AA and CA tumor groups and found that 3 proteins were differentially expressed (P<0.05 and q<5%). Aurora was found to be significantly increased in AA tumors, while Cyclin D1 and HNF-3a proteins were downregulated in AA tumors. Predicted risk score was significantly different between AA and CA ethnic groups using logistic regression analysis. In conclusion, we identified Aurora, Cyclin D1 and HNF-3a proteins as being differentially expressed between AA and CA in PCa tissue. Our study suggests that these proteins might be involved in different pathways that lead to aggressive PCa behavior in AA patients, potentially serving as biomarkers for the PCa racial disparity.

Clinical Correlation and Role of Cyclin D1 Expression in Glioblastoma Patients: A Study From North India

Background/Aims

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor. Cyclin D1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CCND1 gene. Cyclin D1 protein is frequently overexpressed in malignant gliomas.

Methods

It is an observational study comprising 40 biopsy-proven cases of GBM in a span of one and half years. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used with Cyclin D1 monoclonal antibody. Cyclin D1 on the outcome was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier survival estimate and compared by log-rank test.

Results

Cyclin D1 was expressed in 60% of patients. The majority (72.5%) of patients expired during the study period, out of which 69% showed immune-expression in contrast to living subjects, out of which only 45.5% of patients exhibited expression. The maximum number of glioblastoma patients were aged between 41 and 50 years (40%), followed by those aged between 31 and 40 years (20%). The male to female ratio of study subjects was 3.44:1.

Conclusion

The study concluded that there is no significant association between Cyclin D1 expression status and different demographic, clinical, and outcome variables.

Prostate cancer: Alternatively spliced mRNA transcripts in tumor progression and their uses as therapeutic targets

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer deaths among American men. Current therapies show early antitumor responses, but ultimately lead to treatment resistance, relapse and poorer survival in patients. Alternative RNA splicing, a cell mechanism increasing the proteome diversity by producing multiple transcripts from a single gene, has been associated with prostate cancer development/progression. Reports showed that many aberrant mRNA splice variants are upregulated in prostate cancer, promoting malignancy through enhanced proliferation, metastasis, tumor growth, anti-apoptosis, and/or treatment resistance. Here, we discuss the oncogenic properties of aberrant splicing mechanisms underlying prostate cancer pathogenesis, as well as the uses of the splicing variants as potential diagnostics and treatment targets. Finally, we discuss the pharmacologic and molecular approaches for targeting aberrant splicing mechanisms as effective therapies to correct the splicing errors and overcome the drug resistance, ultimately improving the clinical outcome of prostate cancer patients.

Annexin A1 promotes the nuclear localization of the epidermal growth factor receptor in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Epidermal growth factor receptor is a cancer driver whose nuclear localization has been associated with the progression of prostate cancer to the castration-resistant phenotype. Previous reports indicated a functional interaction between this receptor and the protein Annexin A1, which has also been associated with aggressive tumors. The molecular pathogenesis of castration-resistant prostate cancer remains largely unresolved, and herein we have demonstrated the correlation between the expression levels and localization of the epidermal growth factor receptor and Annexin A1 in prostate cancer samples and cell lines. Interestingly, a higher expression of both proteins was detected in castration-resistant prostate cancer cell lines and the strongest correlation was seen at the nuclear level. We verified that Annexin A1 interacts with the epidermal growth factor receptor, and by using prostate cancer cell lines knocked down for Annexin A1, we succeeded in demonstrating that Annexin A1 promotes the nuclear localization of epidermal growth factor receptor. Finally, we showed that Annexin A1 activates an autocrine signaling in castration-resistant prostate cells through the formyl peptide receptor 1. The inhibition of such signaling by Cyclosporin H inhibits the nuclear localization of epidermal growth factor receptor and its downstream signaling. The present work sheds light on the functional interaction between nuclear epidermal growth factor receptor and nuclear Annexin A1 in castration-resistant prostate cancer. Therefore, strategies to inhibit the nuclear localization of epidermal growth factor receptor through the suppression of the Annexin A1 autocrine loop could represent an important intervention strategy for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Identification of candidate miRNAs in early-onset and late-onset prostate cancer by network analysis

The incidence of patients under 55 years old diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (EO-PCa) has increased during recent years. The molecular biology of PCa cancer in this group of patients remains unclear. Here, we applied weighted gene coexpression network analysis of the expression of miRNAs from 24 EO-PCa patients (38–45 years) and 25 late-onset PCa patients (LO-PCa, 71–74 years) to identify key miRNAs in EO-PCa patients. In total, 69 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. Specifically, 26 and 14 miRNAs were exclusively deregulated in young and elderly patients, respectively, and 29 miRNAs were shared. We identified 20 hub miRNAs for the network built for EO-PCa. Six of these hub miRNAs exhibited prognostic significance in relapse‐free or overall survival. Additionally, two of the hub miRNAs were coexpressed with mRNAs of genes previously identified as deregulated in EO-PCa and in the most aggressive forms of PCa in African-American patients compared with Caucasian patients. These genes are involved in activation of immune response pathways, increased rates of metastasis and poor prognosis in PCa patients. In conclusion, our analysis identified miRNAs that are potentially important in the molecular pathology of EO-PCa. These genes may serve as biomarkers in EO-PCa and as possible therapeutic targets.

Immunohistochemical expression of Cyclin D1 among Sudanese patients diagnosed with benign and malignant prostatic lesions

Objectives

Prostate cancer (PC) is common cancer worldwide. Several markers have been developed to differentiate between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) from PC. A descriptive retrospective hospital-based study aimed at determining the expression of Cyclin D1 in BPH and PC. The study took place at different histopathology laboratories in Khartoum state, Sudan, from December 2016 to January 2019. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks were sectioned and fixed in 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane coated slides incubated into primary antibody for Cyclin D1. The assessment of immunoreactivity of Cyclin D1 of each section was done using the Gleason scoring system.

Results

A total of 153 males’ prostate sections included in this study, of them, 120 (78.4%) were PC, and 33 (21.6%) were BPH. Their age ranged from 45 to 88 years, mean age was 66.19 ± 8.599. 142 (92.8%) did not have a family history of PC, while 11 (7.2%) patients reported having a family history. The Gleason scoring showed a total of 81 (52.9%) patients with high-grade and 39 (25.5%) with low-grade. 118 (97.5%) patients had PC showed positive results for Cyclin D1, while BPH was 3 (2.5%). P value < 0.001. Cyclin D1 staining was associated with high-grade Gleason score and perineural invasion, P value 0.001.

Cyclin D-CDK4/6 functions in cancer

The mammalian cell cycle is driven by a complex of cyclins and their associated cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Abnormal dysregulation of cyclin-CDK is a hallmark of cancer. D-type cyclins and their associated CDKs (CDK4 and CDK6) are key components of cell cycle machinery in driving G1 to S phase transition via phosphorylating and inactivating the retinoblastoma protein (RB). A body of evidence shows that the cyclin Ds-CDKs axis plays a critical role in cancer through various aspects, such as control of proliferation, senescence, migration, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. CDK4/6 dual-inhibitors show significant efficacy in pre-clinical or clinical cancer therapies either as single agents or in combination with hormone, chemotherapy, irradiation or immune treatments. Of note, as the associated partner of D-type cyclins, CDK6 shows multiple distinct functions from CDK4 in cancer. Depletion of the individual CDK may provide a therapeutic strategy for patients with cancer.

Mechanism of Anti-Cancer Activity of Curcumin on Androgen-Dependent and Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a heterogeneous disease and ranked as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in males worldwide. The global burden of PCa keeps rising regardless of the emerging cutting-edge technologies for treatment and drug designation. There are a number of treatment options which are effectively treating localised and androgen-dependent PCa (ADPC) through hormonal and surgery treatments. However, over time, these cancerous cells progress to androgen-independent PCa (AIPC) which continuously grow despite hormone depletion. At this particular stage, androgen depletion therapy (ADT) is no longer effective as these cancerous cells are rendered hormone-insensitive and capable of growing in the absence of androgen. AIPC is a lethal type of disease which leads to poor prognosis and is a major contributor to PCa death rates. A natural product-derived compound, curcumin has been identified as a pleiotropic compound which capable of influencing and modulating a diverse range of molecular targets and signalling pathways in order to exhibit its medicinal properties. Due to such multi-targeted behaviour, its benefits are paramount in combating a wide range of diseases including inflammation and cancer disease. Curcumin exhibits anti-cancer properties by suppressing cancer cells growth and survival, inflammation, invasion, cell proliferation as well as possesses the ability to induce apoptosis in malignant cells. In this review, we investigate the mechanism of curcumin by modulating multiple signalling pathways such as androgen receptor (AR) signalling, activating protein-1 (AP-1), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases/the serine/threonine kinase (PI3K/Akt/mTOR), wingless (Wnt)/ß-catenin signalling, and molecular targets including nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and cyclin D1 which are implicated in the development and progression of both types of PCa, ADPC and AIPC. In addition, the role of microRNAs and clinical trials on the anti-cancer effects of curcumin in PCa patients were also reviewed.

An Immunohistochemical Study of Cyclin D1 Expression in Astrocytic Tumors and its Correlation with Tumor Grade

Background & Objective:

Glioblastoma-multiforme is the high grade form of astrocytic tumors with a short survival time, which are the most common type of brain tumors. Therefore, finding new therapeutic options is essential. Cyclin D1 is expressed in some human malignancies and can be a potential target for therapeutic intervention. The aim of the present study was to determine this relationship.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the pathology department of Al-Zahra Hospital in Isfahan, Iran. In this study, 100 samples diagnosed with astrocytic tumors between 2011 and 2015 that met the study’s requirements were studied and immunohistochemical staining for cyclin D1 was performed for each specimen. At the end, the relationship between the expression of cyclin D1 and various variables including tumor grades, tumor subtypes and patient demographic features were examined using appropriate statistical tests.

Results:

Of the 100 samples, cyclin D1 was positive in 60 samples and negative in 40 samples. Moreover, in 26 samples, the amount of the marker was low, while in 34 samples it was high. Following the results of the study, there was a significant difference (P =0.038) in the expression of the cyclin D1 marker among the four different grades of astrocytic tumors.

Conclusion:

The results showed that the expression of cyclin D1 was associated with different tumor grades, especially the high level of expression in grade 4, and the amount of cyclin D1 increased as the level of grade glioma increased.

The other face of miR-17-92a cluster, exhibiting tumor suppressor effects in prostate cancer

miR-17-92a cluster miRNAs are transcribed from a polycistronic transcription unit C13orf25 that generates six mature miRNAs, miR-17, miR-18a, miR-19a, miR-19b, miR-20a and miR-92a that are overexpressed in lung and colon cancers. Here we show that the expression of miR-17-92a miRNAs are reduced in cancerous prostate tissues compared to uninvolved areas and also in aggressive prostate cancer cells. Restoration of expression of all members of miR-17-92a cluster showed, decreased expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins cyclin D1 and SSH1; and LIMK1 and FGD4 of RhoGTPase signaling pathway. Expression of miR-17-92a miRNAs caused decreased cell proliferation, reduced activation of AKT and MAP kinases, delayed tumorigenicity and reduced tumor growth in animals. Expression of miR-17-92a miRNAs inhibited EMT via reduced cell migration and expression of mesenchymal markers while elevating expression and surface localization of the epithelial marker E-Cadherin. Expression of miR-17-92a miRNAs improved sensitivity of androgen dependent LNCaP 104-S prostate cancer cells to anti-androgen drug Casodex, AKT inhibitor MK-2206 2HCl, and docetaxel. The androgen refractory PC-3 cells also showed increased sensitivity to docetaxel, MK-2206 2HCl and Aurora kinase inhibitor VX680 upon ectopic expression of miR-17-92a cluster miRNAs. Our data demonstrate a tumor suppressor effect of miR-17-92a cluster miRNAs in prostate cancer cells and restoration of expression of these miRNAs has a therapeutic benefit for both androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer cells.

Combinatorial strategy of epigenetic and hormonal therapies: A novel promising approach for treating advanced prostate cancer

AIMS

Estrogens act as key factors in prostate biology, cellular proliferation and differentiation as well as cancer development and progression. The expression of estrogen receptor (ER)-β appears to be lost during prostate cancer progression through hypermethylation mechanism. Epigenetic drugs such as 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AZAC) and Trichostatin A (TSA) showed efficacy in restoring ERβ expression in prostate cancer cells. This study was designed to explore the potential anti-carcinogenic effects resulting from re-expressing ERβ1 using 5-AZAC and/or TSA, followed by its stimulation with Diarylpropionitrile (DPN), a selective ERβ1 agonist, in prostate cancer cell line PC-3.

MAIN METHODS

Cells were treated with 5-AZAC, TSA, DPN and their combination. Subsequently, they were subjected to proliferation assays, determinations of ERβ1 expression, protein levels of active caspase-3, cyclin D1, β-catenin and VEGF.

KEY FINDINGS

Treatment with these drugs exhibited an increase in ERβ1 expression to different extents as well as active caspase-3 levels. Meanwhile, a significant reduction in cyclin D1, VEGF and β-catenin levels was achieved as compared to the vehicle control group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the triple combination regimen led to the most prominent anti-tumor responses in terms of increased apoptosis, reduced proliferation as well as angiogenesis.

SIGNIFICANCE

The results support the notion that ERβ1 acts as a tumor suppressor protein and suggest that sequential ERβ1 expression and activation can offer significant anti-tumor responses. The study highlights that the strategy of merging epigenetic and hormonal therapies may be beneficial in treating advanced prostate cancer.

Investigation of the anti-cancer effect of quercetin on HepG2 cells in vivo

Quercetin, a natural polyphenolic flavonoid compound, can inhibit the growth of several malignant cancers. However, the mechanism still remains unclear. Our previous findings have suggested that quercetin can significantly inhibit HepG2 cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis in vitro. It can also affect cell cycle distribution and significantly decrease cyclin D1 expression. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer effect of quercetin on HepG2 tumor-bearing nude mice and its effect on cyclin D1 expression in the tumor tissue. First, the nude murine tumor model was established by subcutaneous inoculation of HepG2 cells, then quercetin was administered intraperitoneally, and the mice injected with saline solution were used as controls. The daily behavior of the tumor-bearing mice was observed and differences in tumor growth and survival rate were monitored. The expression of cyclin D1 in isolated tumor sections was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. We found that HepG2 tumor became palpable in the mice one-week post-inoculation. Tumors in the control group grew rapidly and the daily behavior of the mice changed significantly, including listlessness, poor feeding and ataxia. The mice in quercetin-treated group showed delayed tumor growth, no significant changes in daily behavior, and the survival rate was significantly improved. Finally, we observed increased tumor necrosis and a lighter cyclin D1 staining with reduced staining areas. Our findings thus suggest that quercetin can significantly inhibit HepG2 cell proliferation, and this effect may be achieved through the regulation of cyclin D1 expression.

Elevated nuclear CCND1 expression confers an unfavorable prognosis for early stage lung adenocarcinoma patients

PURPOSES

To examine the expression pattern of CCND1 and analyze the correlation of its nuclear expression with clinicopathologic features and prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

CCND1 mRNA and protein levels in lung adenocarcinoma tissues were examined. The relationship between nuclear CCND1 protein expression and clinical features including survival prognosis was analyzed.

RESULTS

CCND1 mRNA levels were markedly increased in lung adenocarcinoma (P=0.0019). Western blot analysis confirmed increased nuclear CCND1 protein expression in lung adenocarcinoma specimens. Immunohistochemistry analysis confirmed that CCND1 protein was predominantly nuclear localized in lung adenocarcinoma cells and significantly elevated relative to normal lung tissues (P<0.001). Furthermore, high levels of nuclear CCND1 were positively correlated with clinical stage (P=0.026). Patients with nuclear CCND1 expression had a significantly shorter overall survival time than did patients with low expression. Interestingly, nuclear CCND1 expression in clinical stage I+II, but not clinical stage III, was shown associated with poor prognosis and shorter overall survival time for lung adenocarcinoma patients by strata analysis. Finally, nuclear CCND1 expression tended to be an independent prognostic indicator (P=0.087) for lung adenocarcinoma patient survival.

CONCLUSION

Increased nuclear CCND1 is a potential unfavorable prognostic factor for lung adenocarcinoma patients, especially those with clinical early stage (stage I+II).