Prostate Cell News Volume 8.34 | Sep 8 2017

TOP STORY

Stromal and Epithelial Transcriptional Map of Initiation Progression and Metastatic Potential of Human Prostate Cancer

Researchers performed gene expression profiling of laser capture microdissected normal non-neoplastic prostate epithelial tissue and compared it to non-transformed and neoplastic low-grade and high-grade prostate epithelial tissue from radical prostatectomies, each with its immediately surrounding stroma. Whereas benign epithelium in prostates with and without tumor were similar in gene expression space, stroma away from tumor was significantly different from that in prostates without cancer. [Nat Commun] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Liver X Receptors Constrain Tumor Development and Metastasis Dissemination in PTEN-Deficient Prostate Cancer

As phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss is the most common genetic lesion in prostate cancer (PCa), scientists investigated human data sets for mechanisms that can constrain cancer evolution in this setting. They report a liver X receptor (LXR) signature, which tightly correlates with PTEN loss, in PCa. The LXR pathway is deregulated in prostate carcinomas in Pten-null mice. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Inhibition of IL-6-JAK/Stat3 Signaling in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells Enhances the NK Cell Mediated Cytotoxicity via Alteration of PD-L1/NKG2D Ligand Levels

To investigate whether IL-6 signaling affects the susceptibility of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells to cytotoxic action of natural killer (NK) cells, CRPC cell lines were developed by lentiviral transduction. While observing no secreted IL-6 level in parental C4-2 and CWR22Rv1 cells, scientists found the IL-6 expression/secretion in these cells was induced after the transduction process and the IL-6 level difference in C4-2siIL-6/sc and CWR22siIL-6/sc cell CRPC cell sets could be detected. [Mol Oncol] Abstract

Procyanidin B2 3,3″-Di-O-Gallate Induces Oxidative Stress-Mediated Cell Death in Prostate Cancer Cells via Inhibiting MAP Kinase Phosphatase Activity and Activating ERK1/2 and AMPK

Researchers showed that procyanidin B2 3,3”-di-O-gallate, the most active constituent of grape seed extract, treatment causes cell death in human prostate cancer cells via increasing the reactive oxygen species generation. [Mol Carcinog] Abstract

Investigation of Mitochondrial Metabolic Response to Doxorubicin in Prostate Cancer Cells: An NADH, FAD and Tryptophan FLIM Assay

Investigators used Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) to quantify mitochondrial metabolic response in prostate cancer cells by tracking auto-fluorescent NAD(P)H, FAD and tryptophan lifetimes and their enzyme-bound fractions as markers, before and after treatment with anti-cancer drug doxorubicin. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Loss of the Vitamin D Receptor in Human Breast and Prostate Cancers Strongly Induces Cell Apoptosis through Downregulation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

The authors report on the unexpected finding that stable knockdown of vitamin D receptor expression in the human breast and prostate cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and PC3, strongly induces cell apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation in vitro. [Bone Res] Full Article

Testosterone Inhibits the Growth of Prostate Cancer Xenografts in Nude Mice

Scientists assessed the ability of testosterone (T) to inhibit prostate cancer (PCa) growth by testing the tumor incidence rate and tumor growth rate of PCa xenografts on nude mice. Different serum testosterone levels were manipulated in male nude/nude athymic mice by orchiectomy or inserting different dosages of T pellets subcutaneously. PCa cells were injected subcutaneously to nude mice and tumor incidence rate and tumor growth rate of PCa xenografts were tested. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

Positive Regulation of Prostate Cancer Cell Growth by Lipid Droplet Forming and Processing Enzymes DGAT1 and ABHD5

Investigators focused on elucidating the prostate cancer-specific modifications in lipid storage pathways so that these modified gene products can be identified and therapeutically targeted. To identify genes that promote lipid droplet formation and storage, the expression profiles of candidate genes were assessed and compared between peripheral blood mononuclear cells and prostate cancer cells. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

GOLPH2-Regulated Oncolytic Adenovirus, GD55, Exerts Strong Killing Effect on Human Prostate Cancer Stem-Like Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Scientists investigated the antitumor effect of GD55 on prostate cancer stem cell (CSC)-like cells in vitro and in vivo. Prostate CSC-like sphere cells were acquired and enriched by culturing DU145, LNCap or P3 prostate cancer cells in suspension. The prostate CSC-like sphere cells were capable of self-renewal, differentiation and quiescence, displaying tumorigenic feature and chemo-resistance to 5-FU, doxorubicin and DDP. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Ethnicity and ERG Frequency in Prostate Cancer

Emerging observations emphasize a distinct biology of prostate cancer among men of different ethnicities and races, as demonstrated by remarkable differences in the frequency of ERG oncogenic activation, one of the most common and widely studied prostate cancer driver genes. Worldwide assessment of ERG alterations frequencies show consistent trends, with men of European ancestry having the highest rates of alteration and men of African or Asian ancestries having considerably lower alteration rates. [Nat Rev Urol] Abstract

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New Data Presented at ESMO 2017 Shows that Abiraterone Acetate Plus Prednisone Provides Benefits in Patient Reported Outcomes in Both Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive and Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Janssen-Cilag International NV announced additional data from the pivotal Phase III LATITUDE clinical trial, which showed that treatment with Zytiga^® plus prednisone, in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), demonstrated clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvements in a range of patient reported outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed, high-risk, metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, compared to ADT alone. [Press release from Janssen-Cilag International NV discussing research presented at ESMO 2017, Beerse] Press Release

Lumicell Initiates New Clinical Studies in Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer with LUM System for Real-Time Detection of Tumor Tissue in Patients during Surgery

Lumicell, Inc. announced the initiation of clinical studies in breast cancer and prostate cancer with its LUM System. The initiation of the clinical trials is based on approval of Investigational Device Exemption applications by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to enable the LUM System to be used in breast cancer and prostate cancer studies. [Lumicell, Inc.] Press Release

Yisheng Biopharma Announces New Breakthrough Results on YS-ON-001 in Multiple Solid Tumor Experiments

Yisheng Biopharma Co., Ltd. announced that its first-in-class immuno-oncology product candidate, YS-ON-001, demonstrated strong anti-tumor efficacy as a standalone therapy and synergistic effect when combined with antibody blocking programmed death receptor-1 in multiple animal models of solid tumors. [Yisheng Biopharma Co. Ltd.] Press Release

NICE Announces Interventional Procedure Guidance Supporting Use of Hydrogel Spacer in Treatment of Prostate Cancer in the UK

Augmenix, Inc. announced that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK has issued Interventional Procedure Guidance supporting the use of a hydrogel barrier to reduce the risk of toxicity to surrounding tissue in radiotherapy to treat prostate cancer. [Augmenix, Inc.] Press Release

Weill Cornell Medicine Awarded $11.3 Million Prestigious Grant for Prostate Cancer Research

Weill Cornell Medicine has been awarded a five-year, $11.3 million Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, to improve the detection, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer — a disease that affects one in six men. [Weill Cornell Medicine] Press Release

South Korean Researchers Lobby Government to Lift Human-Embryo Restrictions

More than a decade after a fraud scandal in stem-cell science rocked South Korea, scientists in the field are ramping up pressure on the government to relax the country’s strict regulations on human-embryo research — which many researchers label a ban. The nation’s bioethics committee held a public forum with the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Seoul, inviting 11 researchers and scholars to discuss possible changes to the country’s bioethics policies on research. [Nature News] Editorial

Italian Scientists Welcome Surprise €400 Million Boost for Basic Research

Italian scientists received a welcome surprise when Valeria Fedeli, the minister for education, university, and research, announced that Italy will put an extra €400 million into its main basic science fund, the Research Projects of National Interest (PRIN). The money, to be spent over three years, will more than quadruple PRIN’s annual funding. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Senate Panel Seeks Middle Ground on Human Fetal Tissue Research and Abortion

A Senate spending panel countered a move by its House of Representatives counterpart to quash federal funding for research that uses human fetal tissue from elective abortions. The move sets up a conflict that will need to be resolved when lawmakers meet later this year to hash out differences between the House and Senate bills, which will provide funding for the National Institutes of Health in the 2018 fiscal year. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Empowering Thousands of Canadian Researchers and Students to Push the Boundaries of Knowledge and Innovation

The Minister of Science, Kirsty Duncan, announced $515 million in support for fundamental research through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) 2017 competition for the Discovery Grants program, scholarships and fellowships. This is NSERC’s largest annual investment, and it assists researchers by offering financial support though scholarships, fellowships, research supplements, and equipment grants. [Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada] Press Release

NEW 38^th Annual Ralph E. Hopkins Urology Seminar
February 7-11, 2018
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, United States

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Prostate Disease Research (The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine)

Research Assistant – Prostate Cancer (University College Dublin)

Postdoctoral Position – Molecular Imaging for Therapy Assessment in Prostate Cancer (Technische Universität München)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Prostate Cancer (Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology)

Postdoctoral Position – Prostate Cancer (Moffitt Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Translational Cancer Disparities Research (Duke Cancer Institute)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Prostate Cancer (University of South Carolina)

Postdoctoral Position – Prostate Cancer (Baylor College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Scholar Position – Prostate Cancer (Case Western Reserve University)

Postdoctoral Position – Prostate Related Diseases (Baylor College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Drug Discovery (Vancouver Prostate Centre)

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