Similar Datasets
Project description:The aging-associated increase of cancer risk is linked with stromal fibroblast senescence and concomitant cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) activation. Surprisingly little is known about the role of androgen receptor (AR) signaling in this context. We have found downmodulated AR expression in dermal fibroblasts underlying premalignant skin cancer lesions (actinic keratoses and dysplastic nevi) as well as in CAFs from the 3 major skin cancer types, squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), basal cell carcinomas, and melanomas. Functionally, decreased AR expression in primary human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) from multiple individuals induced early steps of CAF activation, and in an orthotopic skin cancer model, AR loss in HDFs enhanced tumorigenicity of SCC and melanoma cells. Forming a complex, AR converged with CSL/RBP-Jκ in transcriptional repression of key CAF effector genes. AR and CSL were positive determinants of each other's expression, with BET inhibitors, which counteract the effects of decreased CSL, restoring AR expression and activity in CAFs. Increased AR expression in these cells overcame the consequences of CSL loss and was by itself sufficient to block the growth and tumor-enhancing effects of CAFs on neighboring cancer cells. As such, the findings establish AR as a target for stroma-focused cancer chemoprevention and treatment.
| S-EPMC6264730 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The age-associated increase of cancer risk has been linked with stromal fibroblast senescence and early steps of Cancer Associated Fibroblast (CAF) activation. Surprisingly little is known about the role of androgen receptor (AR) signalling in this context. We show that AR expression is down-modulated in stromal fibroblasts underlying premalignant skin cancer lesions (actinic keratoses, AK) as well as in CAFs from the three major skin cancer types, squamous (SCC) and basal cell (BCC) carcinomas and melanomas. Decreased AR expression is linked to the concomitant down-modulation of CSL, key effector of canonical Notch signalling and global modulator of chromatin configuration, and it can be counteracted by treatment with BET inhibitors, which reverse CAF activation. Functionally, AR gene silencing in dermal fibroblasts results in p53-dependent senescence and induction of key CAF-effector genes, with AR physically converging with CSL in negative control of these genes. The findings are of functional significance as, in an orthotopic model of skin cancer, dermal fibroblasts with AR loss enhance significantly tumorigenicity of SCC and melanoma cells. As such, the findings establish AR as a novel potential target for stroma-focused cancer prevention and treatment.
2018-08-28 | GSE107319 | GEO
Project description:The age-associated increase of cancer risk has been linked with stromal fibroblast senescence and early steps of Cancer Associated Fibroblast (CAF) activation. Surprisingly little is known about the role of androgen receptor (AR) signalling in this context. We show that AR expression is down-modulated in stromal fibroblasts underlying premalignant skin cancer lesions (actinic keratoses, AK) as well as in CAFs from the three major skin cancer types, squamous (SCC) and basal cell (BCC) carcinomas and melanomas. Decreased AR expression is linked to the concomitant down-modulation of CSL, key effector of canonical Notch signalling and global modulator of chromatin configuration, and it can be counteracted by treatment with BET inhibitors, which reverse CAF activation. Functionally, AR gene silencing in dermal fibroblasts results in p53-dependent senescence and induction of key CAF-effector genes, with AR physically converging with CSL in negative control of these genes. The findings are of functional significance as, in an orthotopic model of skin cancer, dermal fibroblasts with AR loss enhance significantly tumorigenicity of SCC and melanoma cells. As such, the findings establish AR as a novel potential target for stroma-focused cancer prevention and treatment.
2018-08-28 | GSE107320 | GEO
Project description:Androgen receptor functions as transcriptional repressor of Cancer Associated Fibroblast (CAF) activation
| PRJNA419756 | ENA
Project description:Androgen receptor functions as transcriptional repressor of Cancer Associated Fibroblast (CAF) activation [ChIP-seq]
| PRJNA419759 | ENA
Project description:Androgen receptor functions as transcriptional repressor of Cancer Associated Fibroblast (CAF) activation [RNA-seq]
| PRJNA419758 | ENA
Project description:PAX6, a transcription factor, has currently been suggested to function as a tumor suppressor in glioblastoma and to act as an early differentiation marker for neuroendocrine cells. The androgen receptor (AR) plays a pivotal role in prostate cancer development and progression due to its transcriptional activity in regulating genes involved in cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. To determine the role of PAX6 in prostate cancer, we investigated whether PAX6 interacts with AR to affect prostate cancer development.We used immunostaining, RT-PCR, and Western blotting assays to show the expression status of PAX6 in prostate tissue and human prostate cancer cell lines. The role of PAX6 in cell growth and colony regeneration potential of LNCaP cells were evaluated by MTT assay and soft agar assay with PAX6-overexpressed LNCaP cells. Mammalian two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays were used to demonstrate the interaction between PAX6 and AR. Reporter gene and Q-RT-PCR assays were performed to determine the effects of PAX6 on the function of AR.In prostate cancer tissues, PAX6 expression was stronger in normal epithelial cells than cancer cells, and decreased in LNCaP cells compared to that of DU145 and PC3 cells. Enforced expression of PAX6 suppressed the cell growth of LNCaP cells and also inhibited the colony formation of LNCaP cells. PAX 6 interacted with AR and repressed its transcriptional activity. PAX6 overexpression decreased the expression of androgen target gene PSA in LNCaP cells.In this study, we found that PAX6 may act as a prostate cancer repressor by interacting with AR and repressing the transcriptional activity and target gene expression of AR to regulate cell growth and regeneration.
| S-EPMC3729259 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The androgen receptor (AR) may recruit multiple coregulators for proper or optimal transactivation. Here we report the identification and characterization of ARA67/PAT1 as an AR coregulator from a prostate cDNA library. ARA67/PAT1 was screened out as an AR N terminus interacting protein. Interaction mapping shows that the cooperation of multiple domains within ARA67/PAT1 may be required for the maximal interaction with AR. ARA67/PAT1 functions as a repressor with better suppressive effects on AR compared to glucocorticoid receptor and estrogen receptor. Further mechanism dissection reveals that the interrupted AR cytoplasmic-nuclear shuttling may play a major role in ARA67/PAT1 mediated suppression on AR. Together, these results suggest that ARA67/PAT1 may function as a novel repressor that can modulate AR function in prostate cancer.
| S-EPMC321420 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Alterations of nuclear structure and function, and associated impact on gene transcription, are a hallmark of cancer cells. Little is known of these alterations in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs), a key component of the tumor stroma. Here we show that loss of androgen receptor (AR), which triggers early steps of CAF activation in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), leads to nuclear membrane alterations and increased micronuclei formation, which are unlinked from induction of cellular senescence. Similar alterations occur in fully established CAFs, which are overcome by restored AR function. AR associates with nuclear lamin A/C and loss of AR results in a substantially increased lamin A/C nucleoplasmic redistribution. Mechanistically, AR functions as a bridge between lamin A/C with the protein phosphatase PPP1. In parallel with a decreased lamin-PPP1 association, AR loss results in a marked increase of lamin A/C phosphorylation at Ser 301, which is also a feature of CAFs. Phosphorylated lamin A/C at Ser 301 binds to the transcription promoter regulatory region of several CAF effector genes, which are upregulated due to the loss of AR. More directly, expression of a lamin A/C Ser301 phosphomimetic mutant alone is sufficient to convert normal fibroblasts into tumor-promoting CAFs of the myofibroblast subtype, without an impact on senescence. These findings highlight the pivotal role of the AR-lamin A/C-PPP1 axis and lamin A/C phosphorylation at Ser 301 in driving CAF activation.
| S-EPMC10327063 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease that typically features a dramatic desmoplastic reaction, especially fibroblasts. The roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in PDAC have received more attention in recent years. As increasing evidence suggests the heterogeneity of CAFs in PDAC, different CAF subtypes have been shown to support tumor growth, while others suppress cancer proliferation. Myofibrotic CAFs (myCAFs) show alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) high interleukin-6 (IL-6) low myofibroblastic features, are activated by direct contact with tumor cells, and are located in the periglandular region. Inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) show α-SMA low IL-6 high inflammatory features, are activated by paracrine factors secreted from tumor cells, and are located away from cancer cells. Antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs) show major histocompatibility complex II (MHC II) family genes that are highly expressed. CAFs have also been gradually explored as diagnostic and prognostic markers in pancreatic cancer. Targeted therapy of CAFs in PDAC has gradually attracted attention. With the deepening of related studies, some meaningful positive and negative results have surfaced, and CAFs may be the key to unlocking the door to pancreatic cancer treatment. Our review summarizes recent advances in the heterogeneity, function, and markers of CAFs in pancreatic cancer, as well as research and treatment targeting CAFs in pancreatic cancer.
| S-EPMC8319605 | biostudies-literature