Prostate Cell News Volume 9.02 | Jan 19 2018

TOP STORY

Flipping the Switch: Dietary Fat, Changes in Fat Metabolism May Promote Prostate Cancer Metastasis

Prostate tumors tend to be what scientists call “indolent” – so slow-growing and self-contained that many affected men die with prostate cancer, not of it. But for the percentage of men whose prostate tumors metastasize, the disease is invariably fatal. Researchers shed new light on the genetic mechanisms that promote metastasis in the mouse model and also implicated the typical Western high-fat diet as a key environmental factor driving metastasis. [Press release from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center discussing online prepublications in Nature Genetics and Nature Communications] Press Release | Article 1 | Article 2

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Loss of an Androgen-Inactivating and Isoform-Specific HSD17B4 Splice Form Enables Emergence of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Investigators showed that, of five alternative splice forms, only isoform 2 encodes an enzyme capable of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone inactivation. In contrast with other transcripts, functional expression of isoform 2 was specifically suppressed in development of castration-resistant prostate cancer in patients. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

BRD4 Promotes DNA Repair and Mediates the Formation of TMPRSS2-ERG Gene Rearrangements in Prostate Cancer

The authors showed that BRD4 is essential for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks and mediates the formation of oncogenic gene rearrangements by engaging the non-homologous end joining pathway. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Differential Requirements of Androgen Receptor in Luminal Progenitors during Prostate Regeneration and Tumor Initiation

Researchers investigated androgen receptor (AR) function in CARNs (CAstration-Resistant Nkx3.1-expressing cells), a luminal stem/progenitor that functions in prostate regeneration. Using genetically-engineered mouse models and novel prostate epithelial cell lines, they found that progenitor properties of CARNs are largely unaffected by AR deletion, apart from decreased proliferation in vivo. [eLife] Abstract | Full Article

Hyperglycemia-Induced miR-301a Promotes Cell Proliferation by Repressing p21 and Smad4 in Prostate Cancer

Hyperglycemia or high glucose treatment induced miR-301a expression in prostate tissues or prostate cancer cell lines. miR-301a suppressed the expression of p21 and Smad4, and subsequently promoted G1/S cell cycle transition and cell proliferation in vitro and xenograft growth in nude mice in vivo. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Overexpression of α (1,6) Fucosyltransferase in the Development of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells

Using a proteomics approach, scientists analyzed androgen-dependent and androgen-resistant LAPC4 cells and identified α (1,6) fucosyltransferase to be significantly overexpressed in the androgen-resistant LAPC4 cells. [Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis] Full Article

MicroRNA181c Inhibits Prostate Cancer Cell Growth and Invasion by Targeting Multiple ERK Signaling Pathway Components

The biological effects of miR181c on prostate cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were measured by CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, wound scratch assay, transwell cell migration, and invasion assays. [Prostate] Abstract

Differential Role of PTEN in Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) Effects on Proliferation and Migration in Prostate Cancer Cells

Expression of PTEN mRNA and proteins were determined using RT-PCR and Western blotting in RWPE1 and DU145 cells. Investigators also studied the role of PTEN in TGF-β effects on cell proliferation and migration in DU145 cells after transient silencing of endogenous PTEN. [Prostate] Abstract

Targeting DNA Repair with PNKP Inhibition Sensitizes Radioresistant Prostate Cancer Cells to High LET Radiation

Scientists investigated cellular radiosensitivity by clonogenic cell survival assay in PC-3 cells. Apoptotic parameters such as nuclear fragmentation and caspase-3 activity were measured by DAPI staining, nuclear ladder assay and colorimetric caspase-3 method. [PLoS One] Full Article

miR-141 Inhibits Prostatic Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration, and Induces Cell Apoptosis via Targeting of RUNX1

Researchers investigated the effect of miR-141 and runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) on prostate cancer (PCa) cells. They determined that miR-141 was expressed at a low level and RUNX1 was expressed at a high level in PCa tissues in comparison to that in adjacent normal tissues. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

Prostate Cancer-Associated lncRNAs

The authors shed light on the history and future perspective of prostate cancer-associated long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs). [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the prostate cell research field.

$2.5 Million Gift from Robert Frederick Smith to the Prostate Cancer Foundation Is the Largest Donation Ever Dedicated to Advancing Prostate Cancer Research in African-American Men

Helping to advance revolutionary research in prostate cancer, Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, has donated $2.5 million to the Prostate Cancer Foundation to focus research on African-American men as well as launch The Robert Frederick Smith Center of Precision Oncology Excellence in Chicago, Illinois. [Prostate Cancer Foundation] Press Release

X-Chem Enters Expanded Global Drug Discovery and Technology Transfer Collaboration with AstraZeneca

X-Chem, Inc. announced a significant expansion of their existing global drug discovery collaboration with AstraZeneca. The new agreement focuses on the synthesis and delivery of custom libraries to AstraZeneca as well as the transfer of the DEX platform, allowing for in-house screening of DNA encoded libraries at AstraZeneca. [X-Chem, Inc.] Press Release

Broad Institute Takes a Hit in European CRISPR Patent Struggle

A decision from the European Patent Office (EPO) has put the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on shaky ground with its intellectual property claims to the gene-editing tool CRISPR. EPO revoked a patent granted to the Broad for fundamental aspects of the technology, one of several of its patents facing opposition in Europe. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Brexit Vote Didn’t Spur Quick Exodus from UK Universities

The number of European Union nationals working as academics at British universities increased slightly in the year that the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU, according to figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agencyon. [Nature News] Editorial

What a US Government Shutdown Would Mean for Science

The National Institutes of Health would stop processing grants, but astronauts in space would keep working. [Nature News] Editorial

In Trump’s First Year, Science Advice Sees a Marked Decline

Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, expert panels that provide key federal agencies with science advice have had fewer members and met less often than at any time since 1997, when the government started tracking such numbers, a new analysis concludes. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Prostate Cancer Foundation National Conference 2018
May 6, 2018
Wellington, New Zealand

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

NEW PhD Positions – Cancer Imaging (University of Hull)

Postdoctoral Position – Molecular Imaging and Radionuclide Therapy in Prostate Cancer (Klinikum rechts der Isar)

Professor, Tenure Canada Excellence Research Chair – Precision Cancer Drug Design (University of British Columbia)

Assistant Professor, Associate Professor & Professor – Cell & Molecular Biology (University of Mississippi)

Postdoctoral Positions – Gene Regulation and/or Cancer Biology (University of North Carolina)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Prostate Oncobiology (CRUK Manchester Institute)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Prostate Cancer (Northwestern University)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Prostate Cancer (Duke University Medical Center)

PhD Studentship – Prostate Cancer (CRUK Manchester Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Prostate Cancer (Baylor College of Medicine)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

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

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.