Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0376358 (prostate cancer)
 59,338 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Several oncogenes involved in prostate carcinogenesis activate mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, which can relay both proliferative (via extracellular regulated kinases (ERK)) and apoptotic signals (via jun N-terminal protein kinases (JNK)) to the nucleus. Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) is induced by several oncogenes in the ras-dependent pathway and can inactivate both MAP kinase pathways. The role of MKP-1 in proliferation and apoptosis is, however, still controversial. A series of 51 prostate cancers, including a subset (n = 13) that had been previously treated by androgen ablation, was used to examine whether MKP-1 mRNA and protein expression correlated with that of ERK-1, JNK-1, bcl-2, which confers resistance to apoptosis, and apoptotic index measured by in situ end-labeling of fragmented DNA. In a subset of tumors, MKP-1 expression was assessed by semiquantitative RT-PCR and was compared with both ERK-1 and JNK-1 enzymatic activity. In cases not treated by androgen ablation, MKP-1 was overexpressed in the preinvasive stage of prostate cancer, but its expression decreased with higher histologic grade and advanced disease stage. There was coexpression of MKP-1, ERK-1, and JNK-1 proteins. In addition, MKP-1 expression was inversely correlated to JNK-1 but not to ERK-1 enzymatic activity. Finally, MKP-1 and bcl-2 were inversely related to apoptotic indices. In cases treated by total androgen ablation, MKP-1 and bcl-2 were both down-regulated, whereas JNK-1 was up-regulated. Subpopulations of cells that did not undergo apoptosis maintained expression of both MKP-1 and bcl-2. These results suggest that MKP-1 overexpression is associated with the early phases of neoplastic transformation in prostate tissue. The enzymatic data on MKP-1 kinase substrates and the inverse correlation between MKP-1 and parameters of programmed cell death support the hypothesis that MKP-1 inhibits apoptosis in human prostate tumors, perhaps through the JNK pathway.
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PMID:Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 is overexpressed in prostate cancers and is inversely related to apoptosis. 901 Apr 48

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are key elements of the signalling systems needed to transduce different extracellular messages into cellular responses. At least three parallel MAP kinase pathways have been identified: one, stimulated by serum and growth factors to activate extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERKs) by dual tyrosine and threonine phosphorylation, triggers cell proliferation or differentiation; the other two, induced by a variety of cellular stresses to activate c-jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) and reactivating kinase (p38/RK), result in growth arrest and induction of apoptosis. Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatases (MKPs) inactivate MAP kinases through dephosphorylation and, thus, can modulate the MAP kinase pathways. Expression of JNK-1, ERK-1, p38/RK and MKP-1 proteins was investigated by immunohistochemistry and expression of MKP-1 mRNA by in situ hybridisation in 50 cases of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), thought to represent the precursor of prostate cancer. The frequency of apoptotic cells was also determined in these cases. Overexpression of the three MAP kinases and MKP-1 mRNA was found in all cases of high-grade PIN compared with normal prostate. Immunoreactivity for MKP-1 protein was found to be as intense as in normal glands in 30% and weaker in 56% of the PIN cases. Fourteen per cent of PIN cases did not stain with MKP-1 antibody. The proportion of apoptosis was significantly higher (P < 0.008) in PIN lesions that did not express MKP-1 protein than in those that did. These results are consistent with our previous demonstration of preferential inhibition of the apoptosis-related kinases by MKP-1 and further support the contention that MKP-1, even in PIN, may shift the balance existing between cell proliferation and death. When expressed, it may inhibiting those pathways that lead to apoptosis.
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PMID:Mitogen-activated protein kinases and apoptosis in PIN. 964 39

Prostate cancer (PCA) is the most common invasive malignancy and leading cause (after lung) of cancer deaths in males. Since PCA is initially androgen-dependent, strategies are targeted toward androgen depletion for its control. However, tumor re-growth mostly occurs following this modality, and is androgen-independent. A loss of functional androgen receptor and an enhanced expression of growth factor receptors (e.g. erbB family members) and associated ligands have been shown to be the causal genetic events in PCA progression. These genetic alterations lead to an epigenetic mechanism where a feed-back autocrine loop between membrane receptor (e.g. epidermal growth factor receptor [erbB1] and associated ligand (e.g. transforming growth factor-alpha) results in an enhanced activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) as an essential component of the uncontrolled growth of PCA at an advanced and androgen-independent stage. Together, we rationalized that inhibiting these epigenetic events would be useful in controlling advanced PCA growth. Dietary polyphenolic flavonoids and isoflavones are being studied extensively as cancer-preventive and interventive agents. Therefore, we focused our attention on silymarin, genistein, and epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), present in milk thistle, soy beans, and green tea, respectively. The effect of these agents was assessed on the erbB1-Shc-ERK1/2 signal transduction pathway, cell cycle regulatory molecules, and cell growth and death. In androgen-independent human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells, silymarin, genistein, and EGCG resulted in a significant to complete inhibition of transforming growth factor-alpha-caused activation of membrane receptor erbB1 followed by inhibition of downstream cytoplasmic signaling target Shc activation and a decrease in its binding with erbB1, without an alteration in their protein expression. Silymarin and genistein also inhibited ERK1/2 activation, suggesting that these agents impair the activation of erbB1-Shc-ERK1/2 signaling in DU145 cells. In the case of EGCG, a further increase in ERK1/2 activation was observed that was related to its pro-oxidant and apoptotic activities. Silymarin, genistein, and EGCG also resulted in a significant induction of Cip1/p21 and Kip1/p27 and a decrease in cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4, but a moderate inhibition of CDK2, cyclin D1, and cyclin E was observed. An enhanced level of Cip1/p21 and Kip1/27 also led to an increase in their binding to CDK4 and CDK2. Treatment of cells with silymarin, genistein, and EGCG also resulted in strong cell growth inhibition at lower doses, and complete inhibition at higher doses. In contrast to silymarin, higher doses of genistein also showed cell death. A more profound cytotoxic effect was observed in the case of EGCG, with strong cell death at lower doses and complete loss of viability at higher doses. Together, these results suggest that cell signaling and regulators of cell cycle are potential epigenetic molecular targets for prostate cancer prevention by dietary agents. More studies, therefore, are needed with these agents to explore their anticarcinogenic potential against human prostate cancer.
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PMID:Cell signaling and regulators of cell cycle as molecular targets for prostate cancer prevention by dietary agents. 1100 41

We recently showed the inhibitory effect of a flavonoid antioxidant, silymarin, on erbB1-Shc activation in prostate cancer (PCA) DU145 cells. In the present study, we performed more detailed mechanistic and molecular modeling studies with pure silibinin to assess and define its effect on membrane signaling related to erbB1 activation in human PCA LNCaP and DU145 cells. Studies also were performed to establish the biologic responses toward extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation, cell growth, and DNA synthesis. Treatment of serum-starved cells with various doses of silibinin for 2 h followed by (125)I-epidermal growth factor (EGF) showed 30-75% inhibition in ligand binding and 55-95% inhibition in its internalization in LNCaP cells and 20-64% and 12-27% inhibition in these two events in DU145 cells. Time-response studies showed similar effects. In further studies, treatment of serum-starved cultures with silibinin followed by EGF showed strong inhibitory effects on membrane and cytoplasmic signaling molecules. In the case of erbB1 activation, silibinin showed a 58-75% decrease in LNCaP and a 40-100% decrease in DU145 cells at 50, 75, and 100-microg/mL doses. Inhibitory effects of silibinin also were evident on ERK1/2 activation (20-80% inhibition) in both cell lines. Treatment of serum-starved cultures with silibinin resulted in 20-40% and 30-55% inhibition of LNCaP and DU145 cell growth, respectively, at similar doses after 1-3 d of treatment, and 10-50% cell death in both cell lines. Under 10% serum conditions, identical silibinin treatments resulted in 20-65% inhibition of cell growth in LNCaP and DU145 cells but did not cause any cell death. Similar doses of silibinin treatments for 24 h also resulted in 25-60%, 35-40%, and 36-50% inhibition of DNA synthesis when cells were cultured in 10% serum, totally serum starved, and serum starved plus stimulated with EGF, respectively. Molecular modeling of silibinin showed that it is a highly lipophilic compound, suggesting that it interacts with lipid-rich plasma membrane, including binding with erbB1, thereby competing with the EGF-erbB1 interaction. Because the ligand-erbB1 autocrine-loop is causally involved in advanced and androgen-independent PCA, the observed effects of silibinin and its strong lipophilic nature could be useful in developing this agent for the prevention and therapy of PCA.
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PMID:Inhibitory effect of silibinin on ligand binding to erbB1 and associated mitogenic signaling, growth, and DNA synthesis in advanced human prostate carcinoma cells. 1134 85

FGF7/Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) regulates the differentiation and development of the prostate epithelium, while over-expression of FGF8 and FGF1 are implicated in carcinogenesis of the prostate. We tested the hypothesis that different members of the FGF family function through different signalling molecules. In prostate DU145 cells, both FGF1 and FGF2 activated ERK1/2 potently and p38 moderately. KGF was however most efficient in inducing p38 activities but had no effect on ERK1/2 function. JNK and STAT activities were not induced by FGFs in prostate cells. In vitro expression of the transcription factors Elk-1 and MEF2A (substrates for ERK1/2 and p38, respectively) for functional quantification, confirmed the pattern of FGF-induced MAPK activations in COS-7 cells. Furthermore, KGF was more efficient than FGF1 and FGF2 in inducing actin stress fibres, and the specific p38 inhibitor SB202190 completely abolished this in a dose-dependent manner. The MEK1/2 inhibitor, U0126, had no effect on FGF-induced stress fibre formation. This study demonstrates the selective activation of MAPK family members by FGFs resulting in activation of transcription factors and stress fibre formation. As multiple FGFs are over-expressed in human prostate cancer, characterization of the distinct signalling pathway by FGFs may reveal new specific targets for therapy.
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PMID:Keratinocyte growth factor activates p38 MAPK to induce stress fibre formation in human prostate DU145 cells. 1153 48

Despite the high frequency of prostate cancer, therapeutic options for advanced disease are limited to chemotherapy, radiation or hormonal therapy and eventually fail in all patients. Therefore, alternative approaches need to be developed. We previously reported that FTY720, a metabolite from Isaria sinclarii, is a unique antitumor agent for an androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line and requires caspase-3 activation in apoptosis. In our study, we have evaluated the effect of FTY720 on a family of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), mitochondrial transmembrane potential, caspase-9 and caspase-8 and analyzed the expression of some cell-cycle regulator proteins in DU145 cells in order to understand the various antitumor effects of FTY720. Apoptosis was quantified by phosphatidylserine exposure. Activation of MAPKs, cleavage of caspase-9 and caspase-8, status of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and Cip1/p21, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, were evaluated by Western blot analysis, in addition to FAK and phospho-FAK immunoprecipitation and cell-cycle analysis by FACScan. We found that in DU145 cells, 40 microM FTY720 caused activation of p38 MAPK and the upstream kinase MKK3/MKK6 but not SAPK/JNK. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential, FAK and ERK1/2 were reduced while caspase-9 and caspase-8 were cleaved. The p38-specific inhibitor had no effect on apoptosis induced by FTY720, whereas z-VAD.FMK, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, did not inhibit the p38 MAPK activation. An amount of 20 microM FTY720 resulted in G(1) arrest and a decrease of CDK2 as well as CDK4, whereas it induced Cip1/p21. FTY720 may exert anticarcinogenic effects against prostate cancer cells possibly involving modulation of mitogenic signaling, cell-cycle regulators, induction of G(1) arrest and apoptotic death in DU145 cells.
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PMID:Anticarcinogenic effect of FTY720 in human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells: modulation of mitogenic signaling, FAK, cell-cycle entry and apoptosis. 1185 3

The MMP, matrilysin (MMP-7), has been shown to be overexpressed in prostate cancer cells and to increase prostate cancer cell invasion. Prostate stromal fibroblasts secrete factor(s), including fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) that induces promatrilysin expression in LNCaP cells. In the present study, we investigated the signal transduction pathway involved in the FGF-1-induced expression of promatrilysin. FGF-1 treatment significantly increased the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1 and ERK2). This induction was time-dependent and was sustained until 24 hours after treatment. Treating the cells with MEK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059) eliminated ERK activation completely and blocked FGF-1-mediated induction of promatrilysin expression. Transient transfection studies with human matrilysin promoter resulted in a four- to five-fold increase in reporter luciferase enzyme activity that was blocked by the MEK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059). Serine phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was observed after FGF-1 treatment and pretreatment with 20 microM PD98059-abolished STAT3 phosphorylation. Transient transfection with dominant negative STAT3 inhibited FGF-1-induced transactivation of the matrilysin promoter indicating that STAT3 plays an important role in FGF1-induced matrilysin expression. We propose that the FGF-1-induced signaling pathway that leads to promatrilysin expression is ERK-dependent and leads to phosphorylation of Ser-727 on STAT3, phosphorylated STAT3, then binds and transactivates the matrilysin promoter. Our results demonstrate that ERK-MAP kinase and transcription factor STAT3 are important components of FGF-1-mediated signaling, which induce promatrilysin expression in LNCaP cells.
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PMID:Fibroblast growth factor-1 induced promatrilysin expression through the activation of extracellular-regulated kinases and STAT3. 1192 92

Constitutive activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) and mutation of the p53 are both commonly detected in human prostate cancer cells. We sought to investigate whether there is functional regulation of Stat3 by wild-type (wt) p53. Our results demonstrate that expression of wt p53 but not mutant p53 significantly reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3 and inhibited Stat3 DNA binding activity in both DU145 and Tsu prostate cancer cell lines that express constitutively active Stat3. Expression of the p53 downstream target, p21(WAF-1), did not have any inhibitory effect on Stat3 phosphorylation. Wt p53 but not p21(WAF-1) induced dramatic apoptosis in these prostate cancer cells. Expression of wt p53 did not cause a reduction of phosphorylation-independent Stat3 protein and reduction of phosphorylation of three unrelated protein kinases, ERK1, ERK2 (ERK1/2), and AKT. Interestingly, p53-dependent apoptosis occurred in the presence of high levels of phosphorylated AKT and ERK1/2 in both DU145 and Tsu prostate cancer cells. Further, we evaluated a series of established human prostate, breast, and ovarian cancer cell lines and found that all cancer cell lines expressing constitutively active Stat3, only harbor mutated or deleted p53. One implication of these results is that the anti-proliferative activities of p53 may not be compatible with the constitutive Stat3 signal in cancer cells.
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PMID:p53 regulates Stat3 phosphorylation and DNA binding activity in human prostate cancer cells expressing constitutively active Stat3. 1208 40

Previous studies have suggested that p53 is required for apoptosis induction by phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), which is a highly promising cancer chemopreventive agent. Here, we report that p53 is not required for PEITC-induced apoptosis in the PC-3 human prostate cancer cell line and that the PEITC-induced apoptosis is mediated by extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2). Exposure of PC-3 cells to an apoptosis-inducing concentration of PEITC (10 microM) resulted in a rapid and sustained activation of ERK1/2 that was evident as early as 1 h after PEITC treatment and persisted for the duration of the experiment (24-h after PEITC exposure). The PEITC-mediated activation of ERK1/2 was associated with an increase in phosphorylation of its substrate Elk-1 at Ser383. The PEITC-induced activation of ERK1/2 as well as apoptosis was abolished in the presence of mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase 1 (a kinase upstream of ERK1/2) inhibitor PD98059. Exposure of PC-3 cells to 10 microM PEITC also resulted in a time-dependent activation of p38 protein kinase that was associated with increased phosphorylation of activating transcription factor 2 at Thr71. Even though the PEITC-induced activation of p38 protein kinase was abrogated in the presence of its specific inhibitor SB202190, inhibition of p38 protein kinase activation did not prevent PEITC-induced apoptosis. In contrast to previous reports in other cellular systems, c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinases were not activated by PEITC treatment in PC-3 human prostate carcinoma cell line. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that p53 is not essential for PEITC-induced apoptosis and that the PEITC-induced apoptosis in PC-3 human prostate carcinoma cell line is mediated by ERKs. Thus, it seems reasonable to postulate that PEITC may be effective against tumors with normal as well as mutant p53.
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PMID:Phenethyl isothiocyanate-induced apoptosis in p53-deficient PC-3 human prostate cancer cell line is mediated by extracellular signal-regulated kinases. 1209 62

Selenium has been implicated as a promising chemopreventive agent for prostate cancer. Whereas the anticancer mechanisms have not been clearly defined, one hypothesis relates to selenium metabolites, especially the monomethyl selenium pool, generated under supranutritional selenium supplementation. To explore potential molecular targets for mediating the chemopreventive activity, we contrasted the effects of methylseleninic acid (MSeA), a novel precursor of methylselenol, versus sodium selenite, a representative of the hydrogen selenide metabolite pool, on apoptosis execution, cell cycle distribution, and selected protein kinases in DU145 human prostate cancer cells. Exposure of DU145 cells to 3 microM MSeA led to a profound G1 arrest at 24 h, and exposure to greater concentrations led to not only G1 arrest, but also to DNA fragmentation and caspase-mediated cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), two biochemical hallmarks of apoptosis. Immunobiot analyses indicated that G1 arrest induced by the subapoptogenic doses of MSeA was associated with increased expression of p27kip1 and p21cip1, but apoptosis was accompanied by dose-dependent decreases of phosphorylation of protein kinase AKT and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) in the absence of any phosphorylation change in p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK1/2). In contrast, selenite exposure caused S-phase arrest and caspase-independent apoptotic DNA fragmentation, which were associated with decreased expression of p27kip1 and p21cip1 and increased phosphorylation of AKT, JNK1/2, and p38MAPK. Although apoptosis induction by MSeA exposure was not sensitive to superoxide dismutase added into the cell culture medium, cell detachment and DNA nucleosomal fragmentation induced by selenite exposure were greatly attenuated by this enzyme, supporting a chemical mediator role of superoxide for these processes. Despite a temporal relationship of AKT and ERK1/2 de-phosphorylation changes before the onset of PARP cleavage in MSeA-exposed cells, experiments with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 did not show an enhancing effect of specific blocking of AKT on MSeA-induction of PARP cleavage. Taken together, exposure of DU145 cells to MSeA versus selenite induced differential patterns of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis execution as well as distinct patterns of effects on AKT, ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38MAPK phosphorylation and p27kip1 and p21cip1 expression. Multiple molecular pathways are likely differentially targeted by selenium metabolite pools to mediate cancer chemoprevention.
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PMID:Distinct effects of methylseleninic acid versus selenite on apoptosis, cell cycle, and protein kinase pathways in DU145 human prostate cancer cells. 1248 29


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