| 1. |
- Bovinder Ylitalo, Erik, et al.
(författare)
-
A novel DNA methylation signature is associated with androgen receptor activity and patient prognosis in bone metastatic prostate cancer
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Clinical Epigenetics. - : BioMed Central. - 1868-7083 .- 1868-7075. ; 13:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Patients with metastatic prostate cancer (PC) are treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) that initially reduces metastasis growth, but after some time lethal castration-resistant PC (CRPC) develops. A better understanding of the tumor biology in bone metastases is needed to guide further treatment developments. Subgroups of PC bone metastases based on transcriptome profiling have been previously identified by our research team, and specifically, heterogeneities related to androgen receptor (AR) activity have been described. Epigenetic alterations during PC progression remain elusive and this study aims to explore promoter gene methylation signatures in relation to gene expression and tumor AR activity.Materials and methods: Genome-wide promoter-associated CpG methylation signatures of a total of 94 tumor samples, including paired non-malignant and malignant primary tumor areas originating from radical prostatectomy samples (n = 12), and bone metastasis samples of separate patients with hormone-naive (n = 14), short-term castrated (n = 4) or CRPC (n = 52) disease were analyzed using the Infinium Methylation EPIC arrays, along with gene expression analysis by Illumina Bead Chip arrays (n = 90). AR activity was defined from expression levels of genes associated with canonical AR activity.Results: Integrated epigenome and transcriptome analysis identified pronounced hypermethylation in malignant compared to non-malignant areas of localized prostate tumors. Metastases showed an overall hypomethylation in relation to primary PC, including CpGs in the AR promoter accompanied with induction of AR mRNA levels. We identified a Methylation Classifier for Androgen receptor activity (MCA) signature, which separated metastases into two clusters (MCA positive/negative) related to tumor characteristics and patient prognosis. The MCA positive metastases showed low methylation levels of genes associated with canonical AR signaling and patients had a more favorable prognosis after ADT. In contrast, MCA negative patients had low AR activity associated with hypermethylation of AR-associated genes, and a worse prognosis after ADT.Conclusions: A promoter methylation signature classifies PC bone metastases into two groups and predicts tumor AR activity and patient prognosis after ADT. The explanation for the methylation diversities observed during PC progression and their biological and clinical relevance need further exploration.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
- Bovinder Ylitalo, Erik, et al.
(författare)
-
Subgroups of castration-resistant prostate cancer bone metastases defined through an inverse relationship between androgen receptor activity and immune response
- 2017
-
Ingår i: European Urology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0302-2838 .- 1873-7560. ; 71:5, s. 776-787
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Novel therapies for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) are needed, particularly for cancers not driven by androgen receptor (AR) activation. Objectives: To identify molecular subgroups of PC bone metastases of relevance for therapy.Design, setting, and participants: Fresh-frozen bone metastasis samples from men with CRPC (n = 40), treatment-naïve PC (n = 8), or other malignancies (n = 12) were characterized using whole-genome expression profiling, multivariate principal component analysis (PCA), and functional enrichment analysis. Expression profiles were verified by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in an extended set of bone metastases (n = 77) and compared to levels in malignant and adjacent benign prostate tissue from patients with localized disease (n = 12). Selected proteins were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. A cohort of PC patients (n = 284) diagnosed at transurethral resection with long follow-up was used for prognostic evaluation.Results and limitations: The majority of CRPC bone metastases (80%) was defined as AR-driven based on PCA analysis and high expression of the AR, AR co-regulators (FOXA1, HOXB13), and AR-regulated genes (KLK2, KLK3, NKX3.1, STEAP2, TMPRSS2); 20% were non–AR-driven. Functional enrichment analysis indicated high metabolic activity and low immune responses in AR-driven metastases. Accordingly, infiltration of CD3+ and CD68+ cells was lower in AR-driven than in non–AR-driven metastases, and tumor cell HLA class I ABC immunoreactivity was inversely correlated with nuclear AR immunoreactivity. RT-PCR analysis showed low MHC class I expression (HLA-A, TAP1, and PSMB9 mRNA) in PC bone metastases compared to benign and malignant prostate tissue and bone metastases of other origins. In primary PC, low HLA class I ABC immunoreactivity was associated with high Gleason score, bone metastasis, and short cancer-specific survival. Limitations include the limited number of patients studied and the single metastasis sample studied per patient.Conclusions: Most CRPC bone metastases show high AR and metabolic activities and low immune responses. A subgroup instead shows low AR and metabolic activities, but high immune responses. Targeted therapy for these groups should be explored. Patient summary: We studied heterogeneities at a molecular level in bone metastasis samples obtained from men with castration-resistant prostate cancer. We found differences of possible importance for therapy selection in individual patients.
|
|
| 5. |
- Djusberg, Erik, et al.
(författare)
-
High Levels of the AR-V7 Splice Variant and Co-Amplification of the Golgi Protein Coding YIPF6 in AR Amplified Prostate Cancer Bone Metastases
- 2017
-
Ingår i: The Prostate. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 0270-4137 .- 1097-0045. ; 77:6, s. 625-638
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The relation between androgen receptor (AR) gene amplification and other mechanisms behind castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), such as expression of constitutively active AR variants and steroid-converting enzymes has been poorly examined. Specific aim was to examine AR amplification in PC bone metastases and to explore molecular and functional consequences of this, with the long-term goal of identifying novel molecular targets for treatment. METHODS: Gene amplification was assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization in cryo-sections of clinical PC bone metastases (n = 40) and by PCR-based copy number variation analysis. Whole genome mRNA expression was analyzed using H12 Illumina Beadchip arrays and specific transcript levels were quantified by qRT-PCR. Protein localization was analyzed using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. The YIPF6 mRNA expression was transiently knocked down and stably overexpressed in the 22Rv1 cell line as representative for CRPC, and effects on cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion were determined in vitro. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were isolated from cell cultures using size-exclusion chromatography and enumerated by nanoparticle tracking analysis. Protein content was identified by LC-MS/MS analysis. Blood coagulation was measured as activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). Functional enrichment analysis was performed using the MetaCore software. RESULTS: AR amplification was detected in 16 (53%) of the bone metastases examined from CRPC patients (n = 30), and in none from the untreated patients (n = 10). Metastases with AR amplification showed high AR and AR-V7 mRNA levels, increased nuclear AR immunostaining, and co-amplification of genes such as YIPF6 in the AR proximity at Xq12. The YIPF6 protein was localized to the Golgi apparatus. YIPF6 overexpression in 22Rv1 cells resulted in reduced cell proliferation and colony formation, and in enhanced EV secretion. EVs from YIPF6 overproducing 22Rv1 cells were enriched for proteins involved in blood coagulation and, accordingly, decreased the APTT in a dose-dependent fashion. CONCLUSIONS: AR amplified CRPC bone metastases show high AR-V7 expression that probably gives resistance to AR-targeting drugs. Co-amplification of the Golgi protein coding YIPF6 gene with the AR may enhance the secretion of pro-coagulative EVs from cancer cells and thereby stimulate tumor progression and increase the coagulopathy risk in CRPC patients.
|
|
| 6. |
- Halin Bergström, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
-
Extratumoral Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) Expressing Macrophages Likely Promote Primary and Metastatic Prostate Tumor Growth.
- 2016
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aggressive tumors induce tumor-supporting changes in the benign parts of the prostate. One factor that has increased expression outside prostate tumors is hemoxygenase-1 (HO-1). To investigate HO-1 expression in more detail, we analyzed samples of tumor tissue and peritumoral normal prostate tissue from rats carrying cancers with different metastatic capacity, and human prostate cancer tissue samples from primary tumors and bone metastases. In rat prostate tumor samples, immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR showed that the main site of HO-1 synthesis was HO-1+ macrophages that accumulated in the tumor-bearing organ, and at the tumor-invasive front. Small metastatic tumors were considerably more effective in attracting HO-1+ macrophages than larger non-metastatic ones. In clinical samples, accumulation of HO-1+ macrophages was seen at the tumor invasive front, almost exclusively in high-grade tumors, and it correlated with the presence of bone metastases. HO-1+ macrophages, located at the tumor invasive front, were more abundant in bone metastases than in primary tumors. HO-1 expression in bone metastases was variable, and positively correlated with the expression of macrophage markers but negatively correlated with androgen receptor expression, suggesting that elevated HO-1 could be a marker for a subgroup of bone metastases. Together with another recent observation showing that selective knockout of HO-1 in macrophages reduced prostate tumor growth and metastatic capacity in animals, the results of this study suggest that extratumoral HO-1+ macrophages may have an important role in prostate cancer.
|
|
| 7. |
- Jernberg, Emma, et al.
(författare)
-
Characterization of prostate cancer bone metastases according to expression levels of steroidogenic enzymes and androgen receptor splice variants
- 2013
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 8:11, s. e77407-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Intra-tumoral steroidogenesis and constitutive androgen receptor (AR) activity have been associated withcastration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This study aimed to examine if CRPC bone metastases expressed higher levels ofsteroid-converting enzymes than untreated bone metastases. Steroidogenic enzyme levels were also analyzed in relation toexpression of constitutively active AR variants (AR-Vs) and to clinical and pathological variables.Methodology/Principal Findings: Untreated, hormone-naıve (HN, n = 9) and CRPC bone metastases samples (n = 45) wereobtained from 54 patients at metastasis surgery. Non-malignant and malignant prostate samples were acquired from 13prostatectomy specimens. Transcript and protein levels were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry andimmunoblotting. No differences in steroidogenic enzyme levels were detected between CRPC and HN bone metastases.Significantly higher levels of SRD5A1, AKR1C2, AKR1C3, and HSD17B10 mRNA were however found in bone metastases thanin non-malignant and/or malignant prostate tissue, while the CYP11A1, CYP17A1, HSD3B2, SRD5A2, and HSD17B6 mRNAlevels in metastases were significantly lower. A sub-group of metastases expressed very high levels of AKR1C3, which wasnot due to gene amplification as examined by copy number variation assay. No association was found between AKR1C3expression and nuclear AR staining, tumor cell proliferation or patient outcome after metastases surgery. With only oneexception, high AR-V protein levels were found in bone metastases with low AKR1C3 levels, while metastases with highAKR1C3 levels primarily contained low AR-V levels, indicating distinct mechanisms behind castration-resistance in individualbone metastases.Conclusions/Significance: Induced capacity of converting adrenal-gland derived steroids into more potent androgens wasindicated in a sub-group of PC bone metastases. This was not associated with CRPC but merely with the advanced stage ofmetastasis. Sub-groups of bone metastases could be identified according to their expression levels of AKR1C3 and AR-Vs,which might be of relevance for patient response to 2nd line androgen-deprivation therapy.
|
|
| 8. |
- Jernberg, Emma, et al.
(författare)
-
Molecular features of prostate cancer bone metastases harboring androgen receptor gene amplification
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The relation between AR amplification and other mechanisms behind castration-resistance in prostate cancer, such as increased expression of AR splice variants and steroid-converting enzymes in CRPC metastases, has been poorly examined. Specific aims of this study were therefore to examine AR amplification in hormone-naïve and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) bone metastases and to explore molecular and functional consequences of this, with the long-term goal of identifying molecular targets for treatment of CRPC bone metastases. AR amplification was assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization and verified in 16 (53 %) of the CRPC bone metastases (n=30), and in none of the untreated bone metastases (n=10). AR amplification was associated with increased expression of AR and its constitutively active AR-V7 splice variant as well as with co-amplification of genes in the AR proximity at Xq12, such as of YIPF6. Furthermore, gene expression pattern pointed at decreased osteoclast activity, and consequently decreased bone resorption and increased bone mineral density in AR amplified metastases. In conclusion, our results indicated a sclerotic phenotype in CRPC bone metastases with AR amplification that may be of both biological and clinical relevance. This is a novel hypothesis that requires to be thoroughly examined.
|
|
| 9. |
- Nordstrand, Annika, et al.
(författare)
-
Bone Cell Activity in Clinical Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis and Its Inverse Relation to Tumor Cell Androgen Receptor Activity
- 2018
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI AG. - 1422-0067 .- 1661-6596. ; 19:4
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Advanced prostate cancer frequently metastasizes to bone and induces a mixed osteoblastic/osteolytic bone response. Standard treatment for metastatic prostate cancer is androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) that also affects bone biology. Treatment options for patients relapsing after ADT are limited, particularly in cases where castration-resistance does not depend on androgen receptor (AR) activity. Patients with non-AR driven metastases may, however, benefit from therapies targeting the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, the current study specifically investigated bone cell activity in clinical bone metastases in relation to tumor cell AR activity, in order to gain novel insight into biological heterogeneities of possible importance for patient stratification into bone-targeting therapies. Metastasis tissue obtained from treatment-naive (n = 11) and castration-resistant (n = 28) patients was characterized using whole-genome expression analysis followed by multivariate modeling, functional enrichment analysis, and histological evaluation. Bone cell activity was analyzed by measuring expression levels of predefined marker genes representing osteoclasts (ACP5, CTSK, MMP9), osteoblasts (ALPL, BGLAP, RUNX2) and osteocytes (SOST). Principal component analysis indicated a positive correlation between osteoblast and osteoclast activity and a high variability in bone cell activity between different metastases. Immunohistochemistry verified a positive correlation between runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) positive osteoblasts and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP, encoded by ACP5) positive osteoclasts lining the metastatic bone surface. No difference in bone cell activity was seen between treatment-naive and castration-resistant patients. Importantly, bone cell activity was inversely correlated to tumor cell AR activity (measured as AR, FOXA1, HOXB13, KLK2, KLK3, NKX3-1, STEAP2, and TMPRSS2 expression) and to patient serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Functional enrichment analysis indicated high bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in metastases with high bone cell activity and low tumor cell AR activity. This was confirmed by BMP4 immunoreactivity in tumor cells of metastases with ongoing bone formation, as determined by histological evaluation of van Gieson-stained sections. In conclusion, the inverse relation observed between bone cell activity and tumor cell AR activity in prostate cancer bone metastasis may be of importance for patient response to AR and/or bone targeting therapies, but needs to be evaluated in clinical settings in relation to serum markers for bone remodeling, radiography and patient response to therapy. The importance of BMP signaling in the development of sclerotic metastasis lesions deserves further exploration.
|
|
| 10. |
- Nordstrand, Annika, et al.
(författare)
-
Bone remodeling in relation to androgen receptor activity in prostate cancer bone metastases
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Prostate cancer often metastasizes to bone and the metastases are generally classified as osteoblastic, although a mixed osteoblastic/osteolytic bone response may exist. The present study aimed to characterize the bone remodeling activity in clinical bone metastasis samples, with the overall hypothesis that diversities exist that may be of importance for clinical response to current therapies. Specifically, we aimed to study bone remodeling activity in relation to tumor cell androgen receptor (AR) activity. Metastasis tissue obtained from treatment-naïve (n=11) and castration-resistant (n=28) patients during surgery for spinal cord compression was characterized using whole-genome expression analysis followed by multivariate modeling and functional enrichment analysis as well as by histological evaluation. By analyzing expression levels of a predefined set of markers representing osteoclasts (ACP5, CTSK, MMP9), osteoblasts (ALPL, BGLAP, RUNX2) and osteocytes (SOST), we found high osteoblast activity to be coupled to a high osteoclast activity. Immunohistochemistry verified a significant correlation between RUNX2 positive osteoblasts and TRAP (ACP5) positive osteoclasts lining metastatic bone surfaces in close contact to tumor cells. No difference in bone remodeling activity was seen between treatment naïve and castration-resistant patients, while the bone remodeling activity was inversely correlated to AR activity within the tissue (measured as expression of the AR, FOXA1, HOXB13, KLK2, KLK3, NKX3-1, STEAP2, and TMPRSS2) and patient serum PSA levels. Ontology analysis suggested enriched BMP signaling in metastases with high bone remodeling activity and, accordingly, BMP4 mRNA expression was significantly higher in bone metastases with than without ongoing bone formation, as determined from histological evaluation of van Gieson-stained sections. In conclusion, we have observed diversities in bone remodeling activity among clinical samples of prostate cancer bone metastases that may be of importance when selecting therapy for patients with bone metastatic cancer, especially when bone-targeting therapies are considered. The importance of the BMP signaling system for the development of sclerotic metastasis lesion deserve further exploration.
|
|
