Project description:In this study, we used a precision medicine approach to examine molecular profiles and cellular stress responses in an important segment of AA and EA men: men undergoing prostate biopsy. The primary goal in the present study was to demonstrate the ability to assess the prostate transcriptome with a single biopsy core while further examining molecular differences in gene expression patterns relevant to prostate cancer disparities between AA and EA men in a new patient cohort presenting with early stage prostate cancer. To further this objective, we undertook a series of genome wide expression profiling experiments using high throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). RNA was purified from core biopsy prostate tissue specimens obtained from deidentified subjects enrolled in the study. Transcriptional profiles of each of the deidentified patient’s tissue samples were generated and systems level analyses were performed. The results of these analyses were compared across racial groups.
Project description:African-American (AA) men experience increased risk of developing prostate cancers as well as increased mortality following treatment as compared to European-American (EA) men. The aim of our study was to identify biological factors with potential to predispose AA men to prostate tumor progression and metastasis. High-throughput microarrays were used to investigate differences in global gene expression comparing the two groups. Experiment Overall Design: To identify cancer-specific gene expression patterns in AA men, we established primary prostate cancer epithelial cells from 14 AA and 13 EA men. Cells were cultured for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.
Project description:African-American (AA) men experience increased risk of developing prostate cancers as well as increased mortality following treatment as compared to European-American (EA) men. The aim of our study was to identify biological factors with potential to predispose AA men to prostate tumor progression and metastasis. High-throughput microarrays were used to investigate differences in global gene expression comparing the two groups.
Project description:Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, particularly affecting men living a western lifestyle and of African descent, suggesting risk factors that are genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic in nature. In the USA, African American (AA) men are disproportionately af-fected, on average suffering from a higher grade of the disease and at a younger age compared to men of European descent (EA). Fusion genes are chimeric products formed by the merging of two separate genes occurring as a result of chromosomal structural changes, for example, inversion or trans/cis-splicing of neighboring genes. They are known drivers of cancer and have been identified in 20% of cancers. Improvements in genomics technologies such as RNA-sequencing coupled with better algorithms for prediction of fusion genes has added to our knowledge of specific gene fu-sions in cancers. At present AA are underrepresented in genomic studies of prostate cancer. The primary goal of this study was to examine molecular differences in predicted fusion genes in a cohort of AA and EA men in the context of prostate cancer using computational approaches. RNA was purified from prostate tissue specimens obtained at surgery from subjects enrolled in the study. Fusion gene predictions were performed using four different fusion gene detection pro-grams. This identified novel putative gene fusions unique to AA and suggested that the fusion gene burden was higher in AA compared to EA men.
Project description:African American (AA) men have a significantly higher mortality rate from prostate cancer (PCa) compared to European American (EA) men. AA men are twice as likely to die from PCa compared to EA men and 8 times as likely as Asian American men to die from PCa. The biological basis for these differences in PCa mortality are unclear. We carried out Copy Number Alteration (CNA) studies on a new set of 40 highly tumor-enriched primary PCas and matched benign prostate tissues from AA men using high resolution Affymetrix 6.0 SNP arrays and expression array analysis using RNAs (GSE71016) from the same tissues using high purity tumors from AA men and matched benign tissue. We have confirmed the specific loss of 4p16.3 described previously and identified a novel tumor suppressor gene, RGS12 at this locus that shows significantly decreased expression in AA PCa but not EA EA PCa.
Project description:African-American (AA) men have both a higher incidence and significantly higher mortality rates from prostate cancer (PCa) than European American (EA) men. In this study we have carried out a detailed analysis of both CNAs and gene expression changes in PCas from AA men compared to their matched benign tissues. We have identified MNX1 as a novel androgen regulated oncogene that is upregulated to a greater degree in AA PCa compared to EA PCa. Furthermore, RGS12 is a novel tumor suppressor on 4p16.3 that is preferentially deleted in AA PCa which negatively regulates MNX1 expression.
Project description:We use androgen receptor chromatin immunoprecipitation (AR ChIP) on frozen prostate adenocarcinoma samples and normal prostate counterparts in men of European ancestry as well as men of African (AA) ancestry and derive a model whereby increased androgen signaling drives higher levels of lipogenesis in AA prostate tumors.
Project description:We use androgen receptor chromatin immunoprecipitation (AR ChIP) on frozen prostate adenocarcinoma samples and normal prostate counterparts in men of European ancestry as well as men of African (AA) ancestry and derive a model whereby increased androgen signaling drives higher levels of lipogenesis in AA prostate tumors.
Project description:we examined the lipidomes from cancer-benign matched prostate tissues in PCa patients of AA and EA men to determine potential alterations in lipid metabolism which might explain the observed disparity in tumor progression.