Project description:Common epithelial cancers are believed to become more aggressive through the accumulation of multiple independent molecular events that lead to the deregulation of cell signaling. However, the discovery that the majority of prostate cancers harbor gene fusions of the 5'-untranslated region of androgen regulated TMPRSS2 promoter with ETS transcription factor family members has brought this paradigm into question1,2. TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is the most common molecular sub-type of prostate cancer. Recent work suggests that the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion is associated with a more aggressive clinical phenotype3. In the most advanced castration resistant prostate cancers where the androgen receptor has been inactivated, the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion remains functionally active. Here we show compelling clinical and gene expression data supporting the existence of a TMPRSS2-ERG fusion prostate cancer subclass. Using expression array profiling on 455 primary prostate tumors, we identified an 87 gene expression signature, distinguishing TMPRSS2-ERG fusion prostate cancer as a discrete molecular entity. Computational analysis suggested that this fusion signature was associated with estrogen receptor signaling. Functional studies demonstrated regulation of the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion transcript by estrogenic compounds. These data identify a previously unrecognized mechanism for regulation of the TMPRSS2-ERG, even in the absence of a functional androgen receptor, and thus may have broader implications in the treatment of prostate cancer. Keywords: Prostate cancer, Expression array, Illumina, gene fusion, TMPRSS2, ERG, Signatures, Estrogen Test Cohort: 388 cases from the population based Swedish-Watchful Waiting cohort. The cohort consists of men with localized prostate cancer (clinical stage T1-T2, Mx, N0); Validation cohort: The PhysiciansM-bM-^@M-^Y Health Study (PHS) cohort included 116 US men diagnosed with incidental prostate cancer between 1983 and 2003; 455 cases were annotated for TMPRSS2-ERG fusion. Test Set: GSM208029 ... GSM208392 Validation Set: GSM208404 ... GSM208512
Project description:Common epithelial cancers are believed to become more aggressive through the accumulation of multiple independent molecular events that lead to the deregulation of cell signaling. However, the discovery that the majority of prostate cancers harbor gene fusions of the 5'-untranslated region of androgen regulated TMPRSS2 promoter with ETS transcription factor family members has brought this paradigm into question1,2. TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is the most common molecular sub-type of prostate cancer. Recent work suggests that the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion is associated with a more aggressive clinical phenotype3. In the most advanced castration resistant prostate cancers where the androgen receptor has been inactivated, the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion remains functionally active. Here we show compelling clinical and gene expression data supporting the existence of a TMPRSS2-ERG fusion prostate cancer subclass. Using expression array profiling on 455 primary prostate tumors, we identified an 87 gene expression signature, distinguishing TMPRSS2-ERG fusion prostate cancer as a discrete molecular entity. Computational analysis suggested that this fusion signature was associated with estrogen receptor signaling. Functional studies demonstrated regulation of the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion transcript by estrogenic compounds. These data identify a previously unrecognized mechanism for regulation of the TMPRSS2-ERG, even in the absence of a functional androgen receptor, and thus may have broader implications in the treatment of prostate cancer. Keywords: Prostate cancer, Expression array, Illumina, gene fusion, TMPRSS2, ERG, Signatures, Estrogen
Project description:Prostate tumors with the gene fusion TMPRSS2:ERG have been reported to have a significantly higher risk of recurrence compared with tumors lacking the fusion. Tumors from 139 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy were analyzed for the expression of 502 cancer-related genes to identify genes differentially regulated in TMPRSS2:ERG fusion tumors as well as identify biomarkers of biochemical recurrence. 139 prostate fresh-frozen tumors from radical prostatectomy surgery where profiled on the Illumina Human Cancer DASL Panel. 69 tumors were positive for the gene fusion TMPRSS2:ERG while 70 where not. 33 of the 139 patients experienced biochemical recurrence. Data was analyzed for differential genes in TMPRSS2:ERG fusion positive tumors as well as clinical and molecular biomarkers of recurrence.
Project description:Here, we developed immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry assays for the measurement of a low-abundance T1E4 TMPRSS2-ERG fusion protein, its isoforms and its interactome in VCaP prostate cancer cells.
Project description:Androgen receptor (AR) is a transcription factor that plays a central role in the growth and development of the normal prostate and its malignant transformation. More recently, a majority of prostate cancers have been shown to harbor recurrent gene fusions of the androgen-regulated gene, TMPRSS2, to the oncogenic ETS transcription factor ERG. Here we employed chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-Seq) to explore the genome-wide localization of these transcription factors in human prostate cancer cell lines as well as tissues. Unexpectedly, transcriptional networks emanating from AR and ERG were found to be highly overlapping. Furthermore, AR was found to regulate known 5’ fusion partners in prostate cancer including TMPRSS2, as well as negatively regulating its own expression. While induced by androgen through fusion to TMPRSS2, ERG itself was shown to inhibit AR expression and positively regulate the genomic locus of wild-type ERG, thus revealing multiple levels of molecular cross-talk between AR and ERG. Importantly, androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells in which ERG is overexpressed are able to proliferate and invade in the absence of androgen. Thus, we dissected the intertwined genomic landscape of two master transcriptional regulators of prostate cancer and suggest a role for ERG in maintaining transcriptional networks necessary for androgen-independent prostate cancer growth. These studies may suggest that future therapies against prostate cancer should target both AR and ERG, rather than AR alone, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness. Keywords: Genetic modification
Project description:Androgen receptor (AR) is a transcription factor that plays a central role in the growth and development of the normal prostate and its malignant transformation. More recently, a majority of prostate cancers have been shown to harbor recurrent gene fusions of the androgen-regulated gene, TMPRSS2, to the oncogenic ETS transcription factor ERG. Here we employed chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-Seq) to explore the genome-wide localization of these transcription factors in human prostate cancer cell lines as well as tissues. Unexpectedly, transcriptional networks emanating from AR and ERG were found to be highly overlapping. Furthermore, AR was found to regulate known 5’ fusion partners in prostate cancer including TMPRSS2, as well as negatively regulating its own expression. While induced by androgen through fusion to TMPRSS2, ERG itself was shown to inhibit AR expression and positively regulate the genomic locus of wild-type ERG, thus revealing multiple levels of molecular cross-talk between AR and ERG. Importantly, androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells in which ERG is overexpressed are able to proliferate and invade in the absence of androgen. Thus, we dissected the intertwined genomic landscape of two master transcriptional regulators of prostate cancer and suggest a role for ERG in maintaining transcriptional networks necessary for androgen-independent prostate cancer growth. These studies may suggest that future therapies against prostate cancer should target both AR and ERG, rather than AR alone, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness.
Project description:The TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is the most frequent alteration observed in human prostate cancer but its role in disease progression is still debated. In this study, we uncovered a novel molecular mechanism promoting progression in ERG-fusion positive prostate cancer. We show that ERG is methylated by Enhancer of zest homolog 2 (EZH2) at a specific lysine residue (K362) located within the internal auto-inhibitory domain. Mechanistically, K362 mono- methylation prevents intra-domain interactions, favors DNA binding and promotes ERG transcriptional and oncogenic activity in cellular and mouse models. Consistently with the involvement in ERG oncogenesis, we found that K362 methylation was associated with disease progression in ERG transgenic mouse models and was enhanced by PTEN deficiency and AKT activation, which promoted EZH2 substrate switching from histone H3K27 to ERG. Conversely, EZH2 inhibition blocked ERG methylation along with ERG-induced transcriptional and phenotypic reprogramming in cell cultures and ERG/PTEN mice. We found that ERG and EZH2 co-occupy several genomic regions forming prevalently co-activating complexes. The network of ERG/EZH2 co-regulated target genes was enriched of functionally aggressive features and was associated preferentially with concomitant ERG gain and PTEN loss, castration-resistance and adverse clinical outcome in prostate cancer patients. Collectively, these findings identify ERG methylation as a novel post-translational modification sustaining disease progression in ERG-positive prostate cancers. Our data also provide an attractive rationale for developing molecularly targeted therapeutics to antagonize ERG oncogenic activity.
Project description:Androgen receptor (AR) is a transcription factor that plays a central role in the growth and development of the normal prostate and its malignant transformation. More recently, a majority of prostate cancers have been shown to harbor recurrent gene fusions of the androgen-regulated gene, TMPRSS2, to the oncogenic ETS transcription factor ERG. Here we employed chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-Seq) to explore the genome-wide localization of these transcription factors in human prostate cancer cell lines as well as tissues. Unexpectedly, transcriptional networks emanating from AR and ERG were found to be highly overlapping. Furthermore, AR was found to regulate known 5’ fusion partners in prostate cancer including TMPRSS2, as well as negatively regulating its own expression. While induced by androgen through fusion to TMPRSS2, ERG itself was shown to inhibit AR expression and positively regulate the genomic locus of wild-type ERG, thus revealing multiple levels of molecular cross-talk between AR and ERG. Importantly, androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells in which ERG is overexpressed are able to proliferate and invade in the absence of androgen. Thus, we dissected the intertwined genomic landscape of two master transcriptional regulators of prostate cancer and suggest a role for ERG in maintaining transcriptional networks necessary for androgen-independent prostate cancer growth. These studies may suggest that future therapies against prostate cancer should target both AR and ERG, rather than AR alone, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness. ChIP_Seq examination of histone modifications and key transcription factors in LNCaP and VCaP prostate cancer cell lines in un-treated, vehicle treated or 10nM R1881 treated conditions. LNCaP ChIP-Seq experiments include samples GSM353609-GSM353618, GSM353625-GSM353628, GSM353633-GSM353635, GSM353641-GSM353644, and GSM353648. VCaP ChIP-Seq experiments include samples GSM353601-GSM353608, GSM353619-GSM353624, GSM353629-GSM353632, and GSM353645-GSM353647. In addition, we performed re-ChIP of AR and ERG in VCaP cells (GSM356767), and examined the effect of ERG knockdown on AR and ERG binding (samples GSM353636-GSM353639). To study ectopic ERG binding we performed ERG ChIP-Seq in stable RWPE+ERG or control cells (samples GSM353649-GSM353650). AR ChIP-Seq was also done in the AR-positive but ETS fusion-negative 22RV1 cells (GSM353640). To further study transcription factor binding and chromatin state we performed ChIP-Seq of AR, ERG, H3K4me3, H3K9me3, H3K27me3 and RNA Pol II in a metastatic prostate tumor tissue (samples GSM353651-GSM353656). To couple the ChIP-Seq experiments with gene expression, we have also done Illumian SAGE-tag profiling in LNCaP cells following androgen treatment for 0, 24 and 48hrs. These DGE experiments correspond to samples GSM353657-GSM353659.
Project description:Antineoplastic effects of siRNA against TMPRSS2-ERG junction oncogene in prostate cancer: from molecular and cellular studies to preclinical investigations. Background of the study.:TMPRSS2-ERG junction oncogene is present in more than 50% of patients with prostate cancer, and its expression is frequently associated with poor prognosis. We knockdown by siRNA the two TMPRSS2-ERG fusion variants (III and IV) most frequently identified in patients’ biopsies and found an inhibition of TMPRSS2-ERG of above 70% in human prostate cancer VCaP cell line expressing TMPRSS2-ERG junction oncogene. To point out genes regulated after TMPRSS2-ERG oncogene silencing, microarray analysis was performed.. Materiel and Methods. Human prostate cancer VCaP cell line expressing TMPRSS2-ERG oncogene (ATCC® CRL-2876™ Manassas, USA) was grown in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) (Invitrogen, Cergy-Pontoise, France) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 100 units/ml penicillin and 100 μg/ml streptomycin (Invitrogen). Cells were incubated at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO2. Transfection was carried out using Lipofectamine RNAiMAX transfecting agent (Invitrogen) according to manufacturer's instructions. Briefly, 8×105 VCaP cells were seeded in six-well plates in DMEM supplemented with 10% FCS, penicillin (100U/ml) and streptomycin (10µg/ml) and transfected with 50 nM siRNA TMPRSS2-ERG III, siRNA TMPRSS2-ERG IV and siRNA Control and 6 μL Lipofectamine® RNAiMAX. Cells were incubated with siRNA for 48h. At the end of the treatments, total RNAs of untreated cells (NT) and transfected cells were extracted using RNeasy mini-kit (Quiagen, Courtaboeuf, France). Three independent experiments were performed. Results. Microarray analysis confirmed ERG inhibition by both siRNA TMPRSS2-ERG III and IV and revealed a common down-regulated gene, ADRA2A, involved in cell proliferation and migration. Experiments are performed with Agilent Whole Genome 8x60K (028004) microarray. In triplicate with a non treated control cells, a control with ascramble siRNA, a siRNA TMPRSS2-ERG III, a siRNA TMPRSS2 IV.
Project description:Prostate tumors with the gene fusion TMPRSS2:ERG have been reported to have a significantly higher risk of recurrence compared with tumors lacking the fusion. Tumors from 139 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy were analyzed for the expression of 502 cancer-related genes to identify genes differentially regulated in TMPRSS2:ERG fusion tumors as well as identify biomarkers of biochemical recurrence.