AIRE promotes androgen-independent prostate cancer by directly regulating IL-6 and modulating tumor microenvironment.

ABSTRACT: Early stage prostate cancers are dependent on androgens for their growth and survival and androgen withdrawal causes them to regress. Progressive prostate cancers eventually acquire androgen independence rendering anti-androgen therapy ineffective. However, the factors leading to this have not been adequately addressed. This study shows that AIRE finds differential expression in androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer cells. AIRE expression is more in androgen-independent cells due to its regulation by transcription factor Elk-1. These enhanced levels of AIRE modulate the prostate tumor microenvironment by transcriptionally activating a malignancy gene IL-6 in androgen-independent cells. Additionally, AIRE prevents the cancer cells from anticancer drug-induced death and enhances their invasiveness. Moreover, AIRE by modulating the cytokine milieu skews the tumor-associated macrophage polarization towards M2 phenotype with increased CD206 and CD163 expression. Subcutaneous mouse model of prostate cancer revealed AIRE+/+ mice forming a palpable tumor and presents lymphadenopathy however, only a small benign tumor is observed in AIRE-/- mice and lymph nodes appear normal in size. In conclusion, our findings suggest AIRE as a probable factor in promoting prostate cancer progression.

SUBMITTER: Kalra R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5968032 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature