N-Myc induces an EZH2-mediated transcriptional program driving Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer
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ABSTRACT: The transition from castration resistant prostate adenocarcinoma (CRPC) to neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is emerging as an important mechanism of treatment resistance. NEPC are associated with over-expression and gene amplification of MYCN (encoding N-Myc). N-Myc is a bona fide driver oncogene in several rare tumor types, but its role in prostate cancer progression is not well established. Integrating a novel genetically engineered mouse model and human prostate cancer transcriptome data, we show that N-Myc over-expression leads to the development of poorly differentiated, invasive prostate cancer that is molecularly similar to human NEPC tumors which includes an abrogation of AR signaling and induction of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 signaling and that N-Myc interacts with AR and this interaction depends on Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2. Altogether, our data shows that N-Myc drives the neuroendocrine phenotype in prostate cancer.
Project description:Increased treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with second-generation anti-androgen therapies (ADT) has coincided with a greater incidence of lethal, aggressive variant prostate cancer (AVPC) tumors that have lost androgen receptor (AR) signaling. AVPC tumors may also express neuroendocrine markers, termed neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). Recent evidence suggests kinase signaling may be an important driver of NEPC. To identify targetable kinases in NEPC, we performed global phosphoproteomics comparing AR-negative to AR-positive prostate cancer cell lines and identified multiple altered signaling pathways, including enrichment of RET kinase activity in the AR-negative cell lines. Clinical NEPC and NEPC patient derived xenografts displayed upregulated RET transcript and RET pathway activity. Pharmacologically inhibiting RET kinase in NEPC models dramatically reduced tumor growth and cell viability in mouse and human NEPC models. Our results suggest that targeting RET in NEPC tumors with high RET expression may be a novel treatment option.
Project description:Increased treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with second-generation anti-androgen therapies (ADT) has coincided with a greater incidence of lethal, aggressive variant prostate cancer (AVPC) tumors that have lost androgen receptor (AR) signaling. AVPC tumors may also express neuroendocrine markers, termed neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). Recent evidence suggests kinase signaling may be an important driver of NEPC. To identify targetable kinases in NEPC, we performed global phosphoproteomics comparing AR-negative to AR-positive prostate cancer cell lines and identified multiple altered signaling pathways, including enrichment of RET kinase activity in the AR-negative cell lines. Clinical NEPC and NEPC patient derived xenografts displayed upregulated RET transcript and RET pathway activity. Pharmacologically inhibiting RET kinase in NEPC models dramatically reduced tumor growth and cell viability in mouse and human NEPC models. Our results suggest that targeting RET in NEPC tumors with high RET expression may be a novel treatment option.
Project description:Treatment-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC) is a lethal subtype of castration-resistant prostate cancer resistant to androgen receptor (AR) inhibitors. Our study unveils that AR suppresses neuronal development protein dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 5 (DPYSL5), providing a mechanism for neuroendocrine transformation under androgen deprivation therapy. Our unique CRPC-NEPC cohort with 157 patient samples, including 55 t-NEPC patient samples, shows a high expression of DPYSL5 in t-NEPC patients, and that DPYSL5 correlates with neuroendocrine markers and inversely with AR and PSA. DPYSL5 overexpression in prostate cancer cells induces neuron like phenotype, enhances invasion, proliferation, and upregulates stemness and neuroendocrine related markers. Mechanistically, DPYSL5 promotes prostate cancer cell plasticity via EZH2-mediated PRC2 activation. Depletion of DPYSL5 halts proliferation, induces G1 phase cell cycle arrest, reverses neuroendocrine phenotype and upregulates luminal genes. In conclusion, DPYSL5 plays a critical role in regulating prostate cancer cell plasticity, and we propose the AR/DPYSL5/EZH2/PRC2 axis as a novel driver of t-NEPC progression.
Project description:MYCN amplification and overexpression are common in neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). However, the impact of aberrant N-Myc expression in prostate tumorigenesis and the cellular origin of NEPC have not been established. We define N-Myc and activated AKT1 as oncogenic components sufficient to transform human prostate epithelial cells to prostate adenocarcinoma and NEPC including the small cell prostate carcinoma (SCPC) variant with phenotypic and molecular features of aggressive, late-stage human disease. We directly show that prostate adenocarcinoma and NEPC can both arise from a common epithelial clone. Further, N-Myc is required for tumor maintenance and destabilization of N-Myc through Aurora A kinase inhibition reduces tumor burden. Our findings establish N-Myc as a driver of NEPC and a target for therapeutic intervention. Expression profiling by high throughput sequencing of experimentally generated human tumors with mixed NEPC and prostate adenocarcinoma. Gene expression analysis of laser capture microdissected NEPC and adenocarcinoma from three independent engineered human tumors of mixed NEPC and prostate adenocarcinoma phenotype.
Project description:Despite advances in the development of highly effective androgen receptor (AR)-directed therapies for the treatment of men with advanced prostate cancer, acquired resistance ultimately ensues. A significant subset of patients with resistant disease develop AR-null, androgen-indifferent tumors that lose their luminal identify and display neuroendocrine features (neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC)). Utilizing a genetically engineered mouse model, we have characterized the synergy between N-Myc overexpression and RB1 loss-of-function which results in the formation of AR-negative, poorly differentiated tumors with high metastatic potential. Single-cell-based approaches revealed striking changes to the transcriptome and chromatin accessibility during the transition to NEPC. Global DNA methylation and the N-Myc cistrome are redirected following RB1 loss. Altogether, our data provide new insight into the progression to NEPC.
Project description:Despite advances in the development of highly effective androgen receptor (AR)-directed therapies for the treatment of men with advanced prostate cancer, acquired resistance ultimately ensues. A significant subset of patients with resistant disease develop AR-null, androgen-indifferent tumors that lose their luminal identify and display neuroendocrine features (neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC)). Utilizing a genetically engineered mouse model, we have characterized the synergy between N-Myc overexpression and RB1 loss-of-function which results in the formation of AR-negative, poorly differentiated tumors with high metastatic potential. Single-cell-based approaches revealed striking changes to the transcriptome and chromatin accessibility during the transition to NEPC. Global DNA methylation and the N-Myc cistrome are redirected following RB1 loss. Altogether, our data provide new insight into the progression to NEPC.
Project description:Despite advances in the development of highly effective androgen receptor (AR)-directed therapies for the treatment of men with advanced prostate cancer, acquired resistance ultimately ensues. A significant subset of patients with resistant disease develop AR-null, androgen-indifferent tumors that lose their luminal identify and display neuroendocrine features (neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC)). Utilizing a genetically engineered mouse model, we have characterized the synergy between N-Myc overexpression and RB1 loss-of-function which results in the formation of AR-negative, poorly differentiated tumors with high metastatic potential. Single-cell-based approaches revealed striking changes to the transcriptome and chromatin accessibility during the transition to NEPC. Global DNA methylation and the N-Myc cistrome are redirected following RB1 loss. Altogether, our data provide new insight into the progression to NEPC.
Project description:Despite advances in the development of highly effective androgen receptor (AR)-directed therapies for the treatment of men with advanced prostate cancer, acquired resistance ultimately ensues. A significant subset of patients with resistant disease develop AR-null, androgen-indifferent tumors that lose their luminal identify and display neuroendocrine features (neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC)). Utilizing a genetically engineered mouse model, we have characterized the synergy between N-Myc overexpression and RB1 loss-of-function which results in the formation of AR-negative, poorly differentiated tumors with high metastatic potential. Single-cell-based approaches revealed striking changes to the transcriptome and chromatin accessibility during the transition to NEPC. Global DNA methylation and the N-Myc cistrome are redirected following RB1 loss. Altogether, our data provide new insight into the progression to NEPC.
Project description:Despite advances in the development of highly effective androgen receptor (AR)-directed therapies for the treatment of men with advanced prostate cancer, acquired resistance ultimately ensues. A significant subset of patients with resistant disease develop AR-null, androgen-indifferent tumors that lose their luminal identify and display neuroendocrine features (neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC)). Utilizing a genetically engineered mouse model, we have characterized the synergy between N-Myc overexpression and RB1 loss-of-function which results in the formation of AR-negative, poorly differentiated tumors with high metastatic potential. Single-cell-based approaches revealed striking changes to the transcriptome and chromatin accessibility during the transition to NEPC. Global DNA methylation and the N-Myc cistrome are redirected following RB1 loss. Altogether, our data provide new insight into the progression to NEPC.
Project description:Background: Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), a lethal subset of prostate cancer, is characterized by loss of AR signaling and resulting resistance to AR-targeted therapy during neuroendocrine transdifferentiation, for which the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that SRY-Box transcription factor 4 (SOX4) is upregulated in NEPC, which induces neuroendocrine markers, neuroendocrine cell morphology, and NEPC cell aggressive behavior. Methods: To understand the function of SOX4 in the development and progression of NEPC, we detected malignancy characterization after over-expression or knock-down of SOX4 in prostate cancer cells. Xenograft tumors representing NEPC subtypes were analyzed by pathologists. Protein expression profiles were validated in patient tumor tissue. Diagnoses were complemented by transcriptome sequencing and ATAC sequencing of specific cell lines and public clinical datasets. Results: SOX4 expression was significantly elevated in NEPC. Activating SOX4 in non-NEPC cells induced NE transdifferentiation, while silencing it in NEPC cells impeded NEPC progression. SOX4 promote neuroendocrine characteristics by inducing PCK2-mediated metabolism changing. Conclusions: Elevated SOX4 drives NE transdifferentiation in PCa via PCK2-mediated . Altogether, these findings highlight SOX4 as a novel molecule to drive NEPC progression and suggest that it might be a potential therapeutic target for NEPC.