1
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Zhou Y, Li T, Jia M, Dai R, Wang R. The Molecular Biology of Prostate Cancer Stem Cells: From the Past to the Future. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087482. [PMID: 37108647 PMCID: PMC10140972 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) continues to rank as the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in western countries, despite the golden treatment using androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or anti-androgen therapy. With decades of research, scientists have gradually realized that the existence of prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) successfully explains tumor recurrence, metastasis and therapeutic failure of PCa. Theoretically, eradication of this small population may improve the efficacy of current therapeutic approaches and prolong PCa survival. However, several characteristics of PCSCs make their diminishment extremely challenging: inherent resistance to anti-androgen and chemotherapy treatment, over-activation of the survival pathway, adaptation to tumor micro-environments, escape from immune attack and being easier to metastasize. For this end, a better understanding of PCSC biology at the molecular level will definitely inspire us to develop PCSC targeted approaches. In this review, we comprehensively summarize signaling pathways responsible for homeostatic regulation of PCSCs and discuss how to eliminate these fractional cells in clinical practice. Overall, this study deeply pinpoints PCSC biology at the molecular level and provides us some research perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Tian Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Man Jia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Rongyang Dai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Ronghao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
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2
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Zhang B, Wang S, Fu Z, Gao Q, Yang L, Lei Z, Shi Y, Le K, Xiong J, Liu S, Zhang J, Su J, Chen J, Liu M, Niu B. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals intratumoral heterogeneity and potential mechanisms of malignant progression in prostate cancer with perineural invasion. Front Genet 2023; 13:1073232. [PMID: 36712886 PMCID: PMC9875799 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1073232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer among men worldwide. Perineural invasion (PNI) was a prominent characteristic of PCa, which was recognized as a key factor in promoting PCa progression. As a complex and heterogeneous disease, its true condition is difficult to explain thoroughly with conventional bulk RNA sequencing. Thus, an improved understanding of PNI-PCa progression at the single-cell level is needed. Methods: In this study, we performed scRNAseq on tumor tissues of three PNI-PCa patients. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) were used to reduce dimensionality and visualize the cellular composition of tumor tissues. The differently expressed genes among each cluster were identified by EdgeR. GO enrichment analysis was used to understand the roles of genes within the clusters. Pseudotime cell trajectory was used to reveal the molecular pathways underlying cell fate decisions and identify genes whose expression changed as the cells underwent transition. We applied CellPhoneDB to identify cell-cell interactions among the epithelial and neural cells in PNI-PCa. Results: Analysis of the ∼17,000 single-cell transcriptomes in three PNI prostate cancer tissues, we identified 12 major cell clusters, including neural cells and two epithelial subtypes with different expression profiles. We found that basal/intermediate epithelial cell subtypes highly expressed PCa progression-related genes, including PIGR, MMP7, and AGR2. Pseudotime trajectory analysis showed that luminal epithelial cells could be the initiating cells and transition to based/intermediate cells. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that pathways related to cancer progressions, such as lipid catabolic and fatty acid metabolic processes, were significantly enriched in basal/intermediate cells. Our analysis also suggested that basal/intermediate cells communicate closely with neural cells played a potential role in PNI-PCa progression. Conclusion: These results provide our understanding of PNI-PCa cellular heterogeneity and characterize the potential role of basal/intermediate cells in the PNI-PCa progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao Zhang
- Department of Urology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Bao Zhang, ; Beifang Niu,
| | - Shenghan Wang
- Department of Urology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhichao Fu
- ChosenMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Department of Urology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Urology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhentao Lei
- Department of Urology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqiang Shi
- Department of Urology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Le
- Department of Urology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Xiong
- Department of Urology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Siyao Liu
- ChosenMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Jiali Zhang
- ChosenMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Junyan Su
- ChosenMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Jing Chen
- ChosenMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Mengyuan Liu
- ChosenMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China,Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Beifang Niu
- ChosenMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China,Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Bao Zhang, ; Beifang Niu,
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3
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Zhang Y, Song XL, Yu B, Foong LC, Shu Y, Mai CW, Hu J, Dong B, Xue W, Chua CW. TP53 loss-of-function causes vulnerability to autophagy inhibition in aggressive prostate cancer. Int J Urol 2022; 29:1085-1094. [PMID: 35975690 DOI: 10.1111/iju.15021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES TP53 loss-of-function is commonly found in aggressive prostate cancer. However, a highly-efficient therapy for this tumor subtype is still lacking. In this study, we investigated the relationship between TP53 mutation status and autophagy in prostate cancer and assessed the efficacy of autophagy inhibitors on TP53-deficient tumors. METHODS We first evaluated the expression patterns of p53 and autophagy-related proteins, namely LC3B, ULK1 and BECLIN1, as well as their relationship in treatment-naïve and castration-resistant prostate cancer specimens through immunohistochemistry. Subsequently, we generated a Trp53-deleted genetically-engineered mouse model, established prostate tumor organoid lines from the mice and assessed the efficacy of autophagy inhibitors in overcoming Enzalutamide resistance in the tumor organoid model. We also investigated the impact of TP53 re-expression in modulating responses to autophagy inhibitors using LNCaP cell line, which harbored a TP53 missense mutation. Lastly, we attempted to identify potential autophagy-related genes that were crucial for TP53-deficient tumor maintenance. RESULTS TP53 loss-of-function was associated with increased levels of autophagy-related proteins in aggressive prostate cancers and Trp53-deleted genetically-engineered mouse-derived tumors. Moreover, the generated androgen receptor-independent tumor organoids were highly vulnerable to autophagy inhibition. Upon TP53 re-expression, not only did the surviving LNCaP cells demonstrate resistance, but they also showed growth advantage in response to autophagy inhibition. Lastly, PEX14, an important peroxisomal regulator was differentially upregulated in aggressive tumors with TP53 loss-of-function mutations, thus implying the importance of peroxisome turnover in this tumor subtype. CONCLUSION Our results support the potential use of autophagy inhibitors in prostate cancers that contain TP53 loss-of-function mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xian-Li Song
- Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lian-Chee Foong
- Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Centre for Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yu Shu
- Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chun-Wai Mai
- Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Centre for Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, Malaysia.,Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jing Hu
- Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Baijun Dong
- Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chee Wai Chua
- Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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4
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Mai CW, Chin KY, Foong LC, Pang KL, Yu B, Shu Y, Chen S, Cheong SK, Chua CW. Modeling prostate cancer: What does it take to build an ideal tumor model? Cancer Lett 2022; 543:215794. [PMID: 35718268 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is frequently characterized as a multifocal disease with great intratumoral heterogeneity as well as a high propensity to metastasize to bone. Consequently, modeling prostate tumor has remained a challenging task for researchers in this field. In the past decades, genomic advances have led to the identification of key molecular alterations in prostate cancer. Moreover, resistance towards second-generation androgen-deprivation therapy, namely abiraterone and enzalutamide has unveiled androgen receptor-independent diseases with distinctive histopathological and clinical features. In this review, we have critically evaluated the commonly used preclinical models of prostate cancer with respect to their capability of recapitulating the key genomic alterations, histopathological features and bone metastatic potential of human prostate tumors. In addition, we have also discussed the potential use of the emerging organoid models in prostate cancer research, which possess clear advantages over the commonly used preclinical tumor models. We anticipate that no single model can faithfully recapitulate the complexity of prostate cancer, and thus, propose the use of a cost- and time-efficient integrated tumor modeling approach for future prostate cancer investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Wai Mai
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China; Centre for Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, 43000, Malaysia
| | - Kok-Yong Chin
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia
| | - Lian-Chee Foong
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China; Centre for Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, 43000, Malaysia
| | - Kok-Lun Pang
- Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri, 79200, Malaysia
| | - Bin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yu Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Sisi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Soon-Keng Cheong
- Centre for Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, 43000, Malaysia
| | - Chee Wai Chua
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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5
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Pletcher A, Shibata M. Prostate organogenesis. Development 2022; 149:275758. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.200394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Prostate organogenesis begins during embryonic development and continues through puberty when the prostate becomes an important exocrine gland of the male reproductive system. The specification and growth of the prostate is regulated by androgens and is largely a result of cell-cell communication between the epithelium and mesenchyme. The fields of developmental and cancer biology have long been interested in prostate organogenesis because of its relevance for understanding prostate diseases, and research has expanded in recent years with the advent of novel technologies, including genetic-lineage tracing, single-cell RNA sequencing and organoid culture methods, that have provided important insights into androgen regulation, epithelial cell origins and cellular heterogeneity. We discuss these findings, putting them into context with what is currently known about prostate organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Pletcher
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences 1 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology , , Washington, DC 20052, USA
- The George Washington University Cancer Center, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences 2 , Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Maho Shibata
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences 1 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology , , Washington, DC 20052, USA
- The George Washington University Cancer Center, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences 2 , Washington, DC 20052, USA
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6
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Liu Y, Wang J, Horton C, Yu C, Knudsen B, Stefanson J, Hu K, Stefanson O, Green J, Guo C, Xie Q, Wang ZA. Stromal AR inhibits prostate tumor progression by restraining secretory luminal epithelial cells. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110848. [PMID: 35613593 PMCID: PMC9175887 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) is expressed in both the prostate epithelium and the prostate stroma and plays diverse roles in prostate physiology. Although low expression of stromal AR is clinically associated with advanced cancer stage and worse outcome, whether stromal AR inhibits or promotes prostate cancer progression remains controversial. Here, we specifically delete AR in smooth muscle cells of the adult mouse prostate under two tumorigenic conditions, namely, the Hi-Myc genetic model and the T + E2 hormonal carcinogenesis model. Histology analyses show that stromal AR deletion exacerbates tumor progression phenotypes in both models. Furthermore, single-cell analyses of the tumor samples reveal that secretory luminal cells are the cell population particularly affected by stromal AR deletion, as they transition to a cellular state of potentiated PI3K-mTORC1 activities. Our results suggest that stromal AR normally inhibits prostate cancer progression by restraining secretory luminal cells and imply possible unintended negative effects of androgen deprivation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueli Liu
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Jiawen Wang
- Sequencing Center, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Corrigan Horton
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Chuan Yu
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Beatrice Knudsen
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Joshua Stefanson
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Kevin Hu
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Ofir Stefanson
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Jonathan Green
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Charlene Guo
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Qing Xie
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Zhu A Wang
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
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7
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Crowley L, Shen MM. Heterogeneity and complexity of the prostate epithelium: New findings from single-cell RNA sequencing studies. Cancer Lett 2022; 525:108-114. [PMID: 34728312 PMCID: PMC8629925 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The recent advent of single-cell RNA-sequencing technology has provided new fundamental insights into the heterogeneity of the prostate epithelium. Several independent studies have described extensive heterogeneity of the luminal epithelial compartment, including a major division between a novel population of luminal cells located in the proximal region of the prostate ducts versus luminal cells located more distally. Proximal luminal cells as well as novel periurethral cells display increased progenitor potential in organoid culture and tissue reconstitution assays, but not in lineage-tracing analyses during prostate homeostasis, suggesting context-dependent plasticity of these populations. Here we describe and synthesize recent findings regarding the epithelial cell populations in the mouse prostate, draw comparisons to the human prostate, and address the relevance of these findings to prostate diseases and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael M. Shen
- Author for correspondence at: phone: (212) 851-4723; fax: (212) 851-4572;
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8
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Bipotent Progenitors Do Not Require Androgen Receptor for Luminal Specification during Prostate Organogenesis. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 15:1026-1036. [PMID: 33176121 PMCID: PMC7664048 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) plays a fundamental role in most aspects of adult prostate homeostasis, and anti-androgen therapy represents the cornerstone of prostate cancer treatment. However, early prostate organogenesis takes place during pre-pubertal stages when androgen levels are low, raising the possibility that AR function is more limited during prostate development. Here, we use inducible AR deletion and lineage tracing in genetically engineered mice to show that basal and luminal epithelial progenitors do not require cell-autonomous AR activity during prostate development. We also demonstrate the existence of a transient bipotent luminal progenitor that can generate luminal and basal progeny, yet is also independent of AR function. Furthermore, molecular analyses of AR-deleted luminal cells isolated from developing prostates indicate their similarity to wild-type cells. Our findings suggest that low androgen levels correlate with luminal plasticity in prostate development and may have implications for understanding how AR inhibition promotes lineage plasticity in prostate cancer. Prostate epithelial cell types are specified when epithelial AR expression is low Bipotent basal progenitors can generate luminal cells without cell-autonomous AR Transient bipotent luminal progenitors can generate luminal and basal cells AR-deleted luminal cells during development are molecularly similar to wild-type
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9
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Li W, Shen MM. Prostate cancer cell heterogeneity and plasticity: Insights from studies of genetically-engineered mouse models. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 82:60-67. [PMID: 34147640 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Although prostate adenocarcinoma lacks distinguishable histopathological subtypes, prostate cancer displays significant inter- and intratumor heterogeneity at the molecular level and with respect to disease prognosis and treatment response. In principle, understanding the basis for prostate cancer heterogeneity can help distinguish aggressive from indolent disease, and help overcome castration-resistance in advanced prostate cancer. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in understanding the cell types of origin, putative cancer stem cells, and tumor plasticity in prostate cancer, focusing on insights from studies of genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs). We will also outline future directions for investigating tumor heterogeneity using mouse models of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Li
- Departments of Medicine, Genetics and Development, Urology, and Systems Biology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Michael M Shen
- Departments of Medicine, Genetics and Development, Urology, and Systems Biology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032 USA.
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10
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Pănuş A, Mărgăritescu C, Drăgoescu PO, Tomescu PI, Ştefănescu ML, Stepan AE. The role of androgen receptors in vascular and cell proliferation of the prostate adenocarcinomas. ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY 2021; 61:803-811. [PMID: 33817721 PMCID: PMC8112791 DOI: 10.47162/rjme.61.3.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Prostate adenocarcinoma (PA) is by incidence and prognosis a unique model for investigating the biomolecular mechanisms involved in tumor progression. In this study, we analyzed the immunoexpression of androgen receptor (AR), cluster of differentiation 105 (CD105) and Ki67 for 61 cases of PA, in relation to the main clinicopathological parameters of the lesions. The AR scores, CD105 microvessel density (MVD) and Ki67 proliferation index (PI) were significantly higher in patients with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) above 20 ng/mL, in ductal, colloid and sarcomatoid types of PA, in growth patterns 4–5 or mixed, respectively in the case of high-grade advanced stage tumors, with perineural and vascular invasion, as well as in groups with a reserved prognosis. The results obtained, reflected in the positive linear correlation of AR, CD105 and Ki67 expression, indicate synchronous endocrine, angiogenic and proliferative mechanisms involved in tumor progression, which can be used to optimize the targeted tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Pănuş
- Department of Urology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania; ,
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11
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Li F, Yuan Q, Di W, Xia X, Liu Z, Mao N, Li L, Li C, He J, Li Y, Guo W, Zhang X, Zhu Y, Aji R, Wang S, Tong X, Ji H, Chi P, Carver B, Wang Y, Chen Y, Gao D. ERG orchestrates chromatin interactions to drive prostate cell fate reprogramming. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:5924-5941. [PMID: 32701507 DOI: 10.1172/jci137967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although cancer is commonly perceived as a disease of dedifferentiation, the hallmark of early-stage prostate cancer is paradoxically the loss of more plastic basal cells and the abnormal proliferation of more differentiated secretory luminal cells. However, the mechanism of prostate cancer proluminal differentiation is largely unknown. Through integrating analysis of the transcription factors (TFs) from 806 human prostate cancers, we found that ERG was highly correlated with prostate cancer luminal subtyping. ERG overexpression in luminal epithelial cells inhibited those cells' normal plasticity to transdifferentiate into a basal lineage, and ERG superseded PTEN loss, which favored basal differentiation. ERG KO disrupted prostate cell luminal differentiation, whereas AR KO had no such effects. Trp63 is a known master regulator of the prostate basal lineage. Through analysis of 3D chromatin architecture, we found that ERG bound and inhibited the enhancer activity and chromatin looping of a Trp63 distal enhancer, thereby silencing its gene expression. Specific deletion of the distal ERG binding site resulted in the loss of ERG-mediated inhibition of basal differentiation. Thus, ERG, in its fundamental role in lineage differentiation in prostate cancer initiation, orchestrated chromatin interactions and regulated prostate cell lineage toward a proluminal program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiuyue Yuan
- Center for Excellence in Mathematical Sciences (CEMS), National Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences (NCMIS), Key Laboratory of Management, Decision and Information Systems (MDIS)., Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, National Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, and.,School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Di
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyi Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhuang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ninghui Mao
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunfeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juan He
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunguang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wangxin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rebiguli Aji
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shangqian Wang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinyuan Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongbin Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Chi
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Medicine and.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
| | - Brett Carver
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.,Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yong Wang
- Center for Excellence in Mathematical Sciences (CEMS), National Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences (NCMIS), Key Laboratory of Management, Decision and Information Systems (MDIS)., Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, National Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, and.,School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Medicine and.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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12
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Maitland NJ. Resistance to Antiandrogens in Prostate Cancer: Is It Inevitable, Intrinsic or Induced? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:327. [PMID: 33477370 PMCID: PMC7829888 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasingly sophisticated therapies for chemical castration dominate first-line treatments for locally advanced prostate cancer. However, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) offers little prospect of a cure, as resistant tumors emerge rather rapidly, normally within 30 months. Cells have multiple mechanisms of resistance to even the most sophisticated drug regimes, and both tumor cell heterogeneity in prostate cancer and the multiple salvage pathways result in castration-resistant disease related genetically to the original hormone-naive cancer. The timing and mechanisms of cell death after ADT for prostate cancer are not well understood, and off-target effects after long-term ADT due to functional extra-prostatic expression of the androgen receptor protein are now increasingly being recorded. Our knowledge of how these widely used treatments fail at a biological level in patients is deficient. In this review, I will discuss whether there are pre-existing drug-resistant cells in a tumor mass, or whether resistance is induced/selected by the ADT. Equally, what is the cell of origin of this resistance, and does it differ from the treatment-naïve tumor cells by differentiation or dedifferentiation? Conflicting evidence also emerges from studies in the range of biological systems and species employed to answer this key question. It is only by improving our understanding of this aspect of treatment and not simply devising another new means of androgen inhibition that we can improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman J Maitland
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
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13
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Crowley L, Cambuli F, Aparicio L, Shibata M, Robinson BD, Xuan S, Li W, Hibshoosh H, Loda M, Rabadan R, Shen MM. A single-cell atlas of the mouse and human prostate reveals heterogeneity and conservation of epithelial progenitors. eLife 2020; 9:e59465. [PMID: 32915138 PMCID: PMC7529463 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the cellular constituents of the prostate is essential for identifying the cell of origin for prostate adenocarcinoma. Here, we describe a comprehensive single-cell atlas of the adult mouse prostate epithelium, which displays extensive heterogeneity. We observe distal lobe-specific luminal epithelial populations (LumA, LumD, LumL, and LumV), a proximally enriched luminal population (LumP) that is not lobe-specific, and a periurethral population (PrU) that shares both basal and luminal features. Functional analyses suggest that LumP and PrU cells have multipotent progenitor activity in organoid formation and tissue reconstitution assays. Furthermore, we show that mouse distal and proximal luminal cells are most similar to human acinar and ductal populations, that a PrU-like population is conserved between species, and that the mouse lateral prostate is most similar to the human peripheral zone. Our findings elucidate new prostate epithelial progenitors, and help resolve long-standing questions about anatomical relationships between the mouse and human prostate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Crowley
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Urology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Francesco Cambuli
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Urology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Luis Aparicio
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Maho Shibata
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Urology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Brian D Robinson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Shouhong Xuan
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Urology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Weiping Li
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Urology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Hanina Hibshoosh
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Massimo Loda
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Raul Rabadan
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Michael M Shen
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Urology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
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14
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Chung WC, Zhou X, Atfi A, Xu K. PIK3CG Is a Potential Therapeutic Target in Androgen Receptor-Indifferent Metastatic Prostate Cancer. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2020; 190:2194-2202. [PMID: 32805234 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The prostate epithelium consists of predominantly luminal cells that express androgen receptor and require androgens for growth. As a consequence, the depletion of testicular androgens in patients with prostate cancer results in tumor regression. However, it eventually leads to a castration-resistant disease that is highly metastatic. In this report, a mouse model of metastatic prostate cancer was generated through the deletion of the tumor-suppressor gene Trp53 in conjunction with oncogenic activation of the proto-oncogene Kras. These mice developed early-onset metastatic prostate cancer with complete penetrance. Tumors from these mice were poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, characterized by extensive epithelial-mesenchymal transition. With no or a very low level of androgen receptor expression, the tumor cells were resistant to androgen receptor inhibition. Pik3cg, encoding phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit γ (Pi3kγ), was highly expressed in these tumors, and pharmacologic inhibition of Pi3kγ blocked tumor cell growth in vitro, reversed epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and abated tumor metastasis in vivo. Immunohistochemistry analysis in human prostate cancer specimens showed that the expression of PIK3CG was significantly associated with advanced clinical stages. Taken together, these results suggest that PIK3CG plays an important role in the progression and metastasis of prostate cancer, and may represent a new therapeutic target in the metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Cheng Chung
- Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi
| | - Xinchun Zhou
- Department of Pathology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi
| | - Azeddine Atfi
- Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Keli Xu
- Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi.
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15
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TIP5 primes prostate luminal cells for the oncogenic transformation mediated by PTEN-loss. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:3637-3647. [PMID: 32024754 PMCID: PMC7035629 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911673117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell of origin and the temporal order of oncogenic events in tumors play important roles for disease state. This is of particular interest for PCa due to its highly variable clinical outcome. However, these features are difficult to analyze in tumors. We established an in vitro murine PCa organoid model taking into account the cell of origin and the temporal order of events. We found that TIP5 primes luminal prostate cells for Pten-loss mediated oncogenic transformation whereas it is dispensable once the transformation is established. Cross-species transcriptomic analyses revealed a PTEN-loss gene signature that identified a set of aggressive tumors with PTEN-del, or low PTEN expression, and high-TIP5 expression. This paper provides a powerful tool to elucidate PCa mechanisms. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Its clinical and molecular heterogeneities and the lack of in vitro models outline the complexity of PCa in the clinical and research settings. We established an in vitro mouse PCa model based on organoid technology that takes into account the cell of origin and the order of events. Primary PCa with deletion of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN (PTEN-del) can be modeled through Pten-down-regulation in mouse organoids. We used this system to elucidate the contribution of TIP5 in PCa initiation, a chromatin regulator that is implicated in aggressive PCa. High TIP5 expression correlates with primary PTEN-del PCa and this combination strongly associates with reduced prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence-free survival. TIP5 is critical for the initiation of PCa of luminal origin mediated by Pten-loss whereas it is dispensable once Pten-loss mediated transformation is established. Cross-species analyses revealed a PTEN gene signature that identified a group of aggressive primary PCas characterized by PTEN-del, high-TIP5 expression, and a TIP5-regulated gene expression profile. The results highlight the modeling of PCa with organoids as a powerful tool to elucidate the role of genetic alterations found in recent studies in their time orders and cells of origin, thereby providing further optimization for tumor stratification to improve the clinical management of PCa.
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16
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Yu C, Hu K, Nguyen D, Wang ZA. From genomics to functions: preclinical mouse models for understanding oncogenic pathways in prostate cancer. Am J Cancer Res 2019; 9:2079-2102. [PMID: 31720076 PMCID: PMC6834478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing has revealed numerous genomic alterations that induce aberrant signaling activities in prostate cancer (PCa). Among them are pathways affecting multiple cancer types, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, p53, Rb, Ras/Raf/MAPK, Myc, FGF, and Wnt signaling pathways, as well as ones that are prominent in PCa, including alterations in genes of AR signaling, the ETS family, NKX3.1, and SPOP. Cross talk among the oncogenic pathways can confer PCa resistance to therapy, particularly in advanced tumors, which are castration-resistant or show neuroendocrine features. Various experimental models, such as cancer cell lines, animal models, and patient-derived xenografts and organoids have been utilized to dissect PCa progression mechanisms. Here, we review the current preclinical mouse models for studying the most commonly altered pathways in PCa, with an emphasis on their interplays. We highlight the power of genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) in translating genomic discoveries into understanding of the functions of these oncogenic events in vivo. Developing and analyzing PCa mouse models will undoubtedly continue to offer new insights into tumor biology and guide novel rationalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Yu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Kevin Hu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Daniel Nguyen
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Zhu A Wang
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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17
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Fararjeh AS, Liu YN. ZBTB46, SPDEF, and ETV6: Novel Potential Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E2802. [PMID: 31181727 PMCID: PMC6600524 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20112802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common killer among men in Western countries. Targeting androgen receptor (AR) signaling by androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the current therapeutic regime for patients newly diagnosed with metastatic PCa. However, most patients relapse and become resistant to ADT, leading to metastatic castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) and eventually death. Several proposed mechanisms have been proposed for CRPC; however, the exact mechanism through which CRPC develops is still unclear. One possible pathway is that the AR remains active in CRPC cases. Therefore, understanding AR signaling networks as primary PCa changes into metastatic CRPC is key to developing future biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for PCa and CRPC. In the current review, we focused on three novel biomarkers (ZBTB46, SPDEF, and ETV6) that were demonstrated to play critical roles in CRPC progression, epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI) drug resistance, and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) for patients treated with ADT or AR inhibition. In addition, we summarize how these potential biomarkers can be used in the clinic for diagnosis and as therapeutic targets of PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- AbdulFattah Salah Fararjeh
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
| | - Yen-Nien Liu
- PhD Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
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18
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Abstract
Stem/progenitor cells play central roles in processes of organogenesis and tissue maintenance, whereas cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to drive tumor malignancy. Here, we review recent progress in the identification and analysis of normal prostate stem/progenitor cells as well as putative CSCs in both genetically engineered mouse models as well as in human tissue. We also discuss studies that have investigated the cell type of origin for prostate cancer. In addition, we provide a critical assessment of methodologies used in stem cell analyses and outline directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia J Li
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
- Department Genetics and Development, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
- Department of Urology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
| | - Michael M Shen
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
- Department Genetics and Development, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
- Department of Urology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032
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19
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McAuley E, Moline D, VanOpstall C, Lamperis S, Brown R, Vander Griend DJ. Sox2 Expression Marks Castration-Resistant Progenitor Cells in the Adult Murine Prostate. Stem Cells 2019; 37:690-700. [PMID: 30720908 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 12/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Identification of defined epithelial cell populations with progenitor properties is critical for understanding prostatic development and disease. Here, we demonstrate that Sox2 expression is enriched in the epithelial cells of the proximal prostate adjacent to the urethra. We use lineage tracing of Sox2-positive cells during prostatic development, homeostasis, and regeneration to show that the Sox2 lineage is capable of self-renewal and contributes to prostatic regeneration. Persisting luminal cells express Sox2 after castration, highlighting a potential role for Sox2 in cell survival and castration-resistance. In addition to revealing a novel progenitor population in the prostate, these data implicate Sox2 as a regulatory factor of adult prostate epithelial stem cells. Stem Cells 2019;37:690-700.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin McAuley
- The Committee on Molecular Pathogenesis and Molecular Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Daniel Moline
- The Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Calvin VanOpstall
- The Committee on Cancer Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sophia Lamperis
- Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ryan Brown
- Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Donald J Vander Griend
- Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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20
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Vummidi Giridhar P, Williams K, VonHandorf AP, Deford PL, Kasper S. Constant Degradation of the Androgen Receptor by MDM2 Conserves Prostate Cancer Stem Cell Integrity. Cancer Res 2019; 79:1124-1137. [PMID: 30626627 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-1753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer stem cells (CSC) are implicated in tumor initiation, cancer progression, metastasis, and the development of therapeutic-resistant disease. It is well known that the bulk of prostate cancer cells express androgen receptor (AR) and that androgens are required for prostate cancer growth, progression, and emergence of castration-resistant disease. In contrast, the small subpopulation of self-renewing CSCs exhibits an AR-negative (AR-) signature. The mechanisms underlying the absence of AR are unknown. Using CSC-like cell models isolated from clinical biopsy tissues, we identify the E3 ligase MDM2 as a key regulator of prostate CSC integrity. First, unlike what has been reported for the bulk of AR+ tumor cells where MDM2 regulates the temporal expression of AR during transcriptional activity, MDM2 in CSCs promoted the constant ubiquitination and degradation of AR, resulting in sustained loss of total AR protein. Second, MDM2 promoted CSC self-renewal, the expression of stem cell factors, and CSC proliferation. Loss of MDM2 reversed these processes and induced expression of full-length AR (and not AR variants), terminal differentiation into luminal cells, and cell death. Selectively blocking MDM2-mediated activity in combination with androgen/AR-targeted therapy may offer a novel strategy for eliminating AR- CSCs in addition to the bulk of AR+ prostate cancer cells, decreasing metastatic tumor burden and inhibiting the emergence of therapeutic resistance.Significance: These findings provide a novel mechanistic aspect of prostate cancer cell stemness that advances our understanding of the diverse transcriptional activity that bypasses AR in contributing to therapeutic resistance, tumor progression, and metastasis.Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/79/6/1124/F1.large.jpg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premkumar Vummidi Giridhar
- Department of Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Karin Williams
- Translational Radiation Biology, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Andrew P VonHandorf
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Paul L Deford
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Susan Kasper
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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21
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Zhang D, Zhao S, Li X, Kirk JS, Tang DG. Prostate Luminal Progenitor Cells in Development and Cancer. Trends Cancer 2018; 4:769-783. [PMID: 30352679 PMCID: PMC6212301 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) has a predominantly luminal phenotype. Basal cells were previously identified as a cell of origin for PCa, but increasing evidence implicates luminal cells as a preferred cell of origin for PCa, as well as key drivers of tumor development and progression. Prostate luminal cells are understudied compared with basal cells. In this review, we describe the contribution of prostate luminal progenitor (LP) cells to luminal cell development and their role in prostate development, androgen-mediated regeneration of castrated prostate, and tumorigenesis. We also discuss the potential value of LP transcriptomics to identify new targets and therapies to treat aggressive PCa. Finally, we propose future research directions focusing on molecular mechanisms underlying LP cell biology and heterogeneity in normal and diseased prostate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingxiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Shuhong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xinyun Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jason S Kirk
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Dean G Tang
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; Cancer Stem Cell Institute, Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.
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