Prostate Cell News Volume 2.11 | Mar 25 2011

National Institutes of Health Study Identifies Gene That Suppresses Cell’s Immune Activation
A new study of prostate tumors has shown that a gene, FOXO3, suppresses activation of cells related to immunity and thus leads to a reduced immune response against a growing cancer. [Press release from the National Institutes of Health discussing online prepublication in the Journal of Clinical Investigation]

Ongoing Extension Study Results Provide Further Evidence for First-Line Use of FIRMAGON® (Degarelix) in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Recent data from the ongoing five-year FIRMAGON® (degarelix) extension study (CS21a) has demonstrated the long term efficacy and tolerability of FIRMAGON® in study patients with advanced hormone-dependent prostate cancer and support its use as first-line androgen deprivation therapy. [Press release from Ferring Pharmaceuticals discussing data presented at the European Association of Urology 2011 Annual Meeting]

LABORATORY RESEARCH

FOXO3 Programs Tumor-Associated DCs to Become Tolerogenic in Human and Murine Prostate Cancer
Scientists described a population of tumor-associated DCs in both human and mouse prostate cancer that tolerizes and induces suppressive activity in tumor-specific T cells. [J Clin Invest]

Human Prostate Cancer Metastases Target the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche to Establish Footholds in Mouse Bone Marrow
Researchers have shown in a mouse model of metastasis that human prostate cancer cells directly compete with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for occupancy of the mouse HSC niche. [J Clin Invest]

β2-Microglobulin Induces Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition and Confers Cancer Lethality and Bone Metastasis in Human Cancer Cells
This study demonstrated for the first time how β2-microglobulin supports lethal metastasis in vivo in human prostate, breast, lung, and renal cancer cells. [Cancer Res]

Enforced Expression of miR-101 Inhibits Prostate Cancer Cell Growth by Modulating Cyclooxygenase-2 Pathway In Vivo
Scientists investigated the mechanism of microRNA-101 (miR-101) regulated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and the therapeutic potential of exogenous miR-101 for COX-2-associated cancer. [Cancer Prev Res]

KAI1 Is Engaged in NDRG1-Mediated Metastasis Suppression Through ATF3-NFKappaB Complex in Human Prostate Cancer
Investigators found that ectopic expression of NDRG1 was able to augment endogenous KAI1 gene expression in prostate cancer cell lines, while silencing NDRG1 accompanied with significant decrease in KAI1 expression in vitro and in vivo. [J Biol Chem]

Repression of Androgen Receptor Activity by HEYL, a Third Member of the Hairy/Enhancer-of-Split-Related Family of Notch Effectors
Using a cell line inducibly expressing exogenous HEYL researchers have shown that HEYL represses endogenous androgen receptor-regulated genes and reduces androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell growth. [J Biol Chem]

1’-Acetoxychavicol Acetate Suppresses Angiogenesis-Mediated Human Prostate Tumor Growth by Targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Mediated Src-FAK-Rho GTPase Signaling Pathway
Researchers describe that 1’-acetoxychavicol acetate can suppress prostate tumor growth by largely abrogating angiogenesis. [Carcinogenesis]

Estrogen-Initiated Transformation of Prostate Epithelium Derived from Normal Human Prostate Stem-Progenitor Cells
The present study sought to determine whether estrogens with testosterone support are sufficient to transform the normal human prostate epithelium and promote progression to invasive adenocarcinoma using a novel chimeric prostate model. [Endocrinology]

Genetic Polymorphisms in Inflammation Pathway Genes and Prostate Cancer Risk
To better understand the potential relationship between genes in the inflammation pathway and prostate cancer risk, investigators evaluated variants in 16 candidate genes. [Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Antioxidant Effects of Lycopene in African American Men with Prostate Cancer or Benign Prostate Hyperplasia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 105 African American men veterans, recommended for prostate biopsy to detect cancer, was carried out to investigate whether oral administration of lycopene increases lycopene levels in blood and prostate tissue and lowers markers of oxidative stress. [Cancer Prev Res]

Association of KLK3 (PSA) Genetic Variants with Prostate Cancer Risk and PSA Levels
Scientists examined the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in KLK3 with prostate cancer risk, disease-specific survival, and pre-diagnostic PSA levels in a case-control study nested within the Physicians’ Health Study, which began in 1982, with over 27 years of follow-up. [Carcinogenesis]

GSK Statement on Avodart™ (Dutasteride) for Prostate Cancer Risk Reduction
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that it will no longer pursue global approval for the use of Avodart™ (dutasteride) to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. [GlaxoSmithKline Press Release]

JEVTANA® (Cabazitaxel) Approved by European Commission for Treatment of Advanced Second-line Prostate Cancer
Sanofi-aventis announced it has received marketing authorization from the European Commission for JEVTANA® in combination with prednisone/prednisolone for the treatment of patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen. [Sanofi-aventis Press Release]

AACR Elects President-Elect, Directors and Nominating Committee Members
The members of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) have elected Frank McCormick, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon.), as their president-elect. [American Association for Cancer Research Press Release]

Prostate Cancer Canada Opens Halifax Office to Serve Atlantic Region
Prostate Cancer Canada, together with representatives of government, business and the health community, officially opened its first regional office in Halifax and announced a series of initiatives to strengthen the fight against prostate cancer throughout Atlantic Canada. [Prostate Cancer Canada Press Release]

New Radiation Therapy Tools Target Prostate Tumors More Accurately
Radiation oncologists with the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine have a new tool in the treatment of prostate cancer that not only targets tumors better but also can stop treatment automatically if the tumor moves due to a full bladder or rectum. [Siteman Cancer Center Press Release]

More Work Still to be Done in Stem Cell Tissue Engineering
Experts in stem cell and tissue engineering said that although there are encouraging results in stem cell engineering there is still a lot of work ahead and significant breakthroughs would only be possible if basic research work is well-funded and supported. [European Association of Urology Press Release]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the prostate cell community.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Prostate Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or Suggestions? Email info@connexoncreative.com with your feedback.