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Supplementary Figures S1-S5, Tables S1-S3. Figure S1. Silencing Endo180 disrupts normal and benign PEC acini, but not PTC spheroids. Figure S2. None of the treatment used in culture affected cell cycle and/or cell viability. Figure S3. Epitope mapping of the Mouse monoclonal anti-Endo180 39.10. Figure S4. Targeted blockade of Endo180 does not alter spheroid formation by PTCs. Figure S5. Highly glycosylated CD147 can be precipitated from normal PEC lysates using CTLD4 as bait. Supplementary Table S1. Antibodies and reagents used for Immunoblotting, Immunofluorescence and Immunohistochemistry. Supplementary Table S2. NCLPC1/4 prostate cancer tissue microarray patient characteristics, N = 157. Supplementary Table S3. NCLPC1/4 prostate cancer tissue microarray - patient deaths [censored] after three, five, seven and ten years.

Epithelial cell–cell contacts maintain normal glandular tissue homeostasis, and their breakage can trigger epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a fundamental step in the development of metastatic cancer. Despite the ability of C-type lectin domains (CTLD) to modulate cell–cell adhesion, it is not known if they modulate epithelial adhesion in EMT and tumor progression. Here, the multi-CTLD mannose receptor, Endo180 (MRC2/uPARAP), was shown using the Kaplan–Meier analysis to be predictive of survival outcome in men with early prostate cancer. A proteomic screen of novel interaction partners with the fourth CTLD (CTLD4) in Endo180 revealed that its complex with CD147 is indispensable for the stability of three-dimensional acini formed by nontransformed prostate epithelial cells (PEC). Mechanistic study using knockdown of Endo180 or CD147, and treatment with an Endo180 mAb targeting CTLD4 (clone 39.10), or a dominant-negative GST-CTLD4 chimeric protein, induced scattering of PECs associated with internalization of Endo180 into endosomes, loss of E-cadherin (CDH1/ECAD), and unzipping of cell–cell junctions. These findings are the first to demonstrate that a CTLD acts as a suppressor and regulatory switch for EMT; thus, positing that stabilization of Endo180–CD147 complex is a viable therapeutic strategy to improve rates of prostate cancer survival.Implications: This study identifies the interaction between CTLD4 in Endo180 and CD147 as an EMT suppressor and indicates that stabilization of this molecular complex improves prostate cancer survival rates.Visual Overview: http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/content/13/3/538/F1.large.jpgMol Cancer Res; 13(3); 538–47. ©2014 AACR.

Aim: Face masks are an important addition to our arsenal in the fight against COVID-19. The aim of this study is to present a novel method of measuring mask performance which can simultaneously assess both fabric penetration and leakage due to poor fit. Materials & methods: A synthetic aerosol is introduced into the lung of a medical dummy. A conical laser sheet surrounds the face of the dummy where it illuminates the aerosol emitted during a simulated breath. The system is demonstrated with five mask types. Conclusions: The curved laser sheet highlights both penetration through the mask fabric and leakage around the edges of the mask. A large variation in both material penetration and leakage was observed., Graphical abstract, Tweetable abstract Face masks are an effective means of stemming the spread of COVID-19. However, mask performance varies considerably depending on the fabric from which they are made, and how they fit on the face.

We describe a prototype system which determines defects in thin film coatings, a few micron thick, of polyurethane (PU) and/or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) concealed on the inner surface of a polypropylene tube. The tubing cross-section is several millimeters and has a wall thickness of 200 μm. Inferred absorption of the coating is used to identify the coating coverage and a multivariate analysis is used to remove the effects of absorption and scattering by the tubing wall. We demonstrate the application of the technique to an industry need for measuring defects in medical device manufacture.

Transparent polymer delivery devices often contain a solid lubricant coating on a stronger bulk polymer. The distribution of lubricant coating must be monitored for device optimisation appraisals and to ensure consistency during mass production. However, coating evaluation is difficult to perform as surfaces are often concealed and/or disjointed. Dye stain analysis, which is destructive and time-consuming, is the current industry standard. We present a prototype IR transmission microscope to evaluate micron-level coating coverage of polyurethane and/or polyvinylpyrrolidone on a poly(propylene)-based delivery device. The device has a common industrial configuration, containing a duct and bevel. Inferred absorption of the coating was used to identify coating coverage and a multivariate analysis was used to remove the effects of absorption and scattering by the bulk. Coverage on concealed and disjointed surfaces was imaged and evaluated from a single camera viewpoint and &asymp, 50 &mu, m defects were detectable. The industrial applicability of the prototype was demonstrated using comparisons with dye stain analysis by estimating water dilution of coating and identifying artifacts in coating, which may indicate machine malfunction. The sensitivity and speed of the IR technique makes it a favourable alternative to the current industry standard.

In gene delivery, non-viral vectors have become the preferred carrier system for DNA delivery. They can overcome major viral issues such as immunogenicity and mutagenicity. Cationic lipid-mediated gene transfer is one of the most commonly used non-viral vectors, which have been shown to be a safe and effective carrier. However, their use in gene delivery often exhibits low transfection efficiency and stability. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of novel non-viral gene delivery systems. This study has investigated the encapsulation and transfection efficiency of cationic liposomes prepared from DOTAP and carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin (CD). The encapsulation efficiency of the CD-lipoplex complexes were also studied with and without the addition of Pluronic-F127, using both microfluidic and thin film hydration methods. In vitro transfection efficiencies of these complexes were determined in COS7 and SH-SY5Y cell lines. Formulation stability was evaluated using liposomes size, zeta potential and polydispersity index. In addition, the external morphology was studied using transmission electron microcopy (TEM). Results revealed that formulations produced by microfluidic method had smaller, more uniform and homogenious size and zeta-potential as well as higher encapsulation efficiency when compared with liposomes manufactured by thin film hydration method. Overall, the results of this study show that carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin increased lipoplexes’ encapsulation efficiency using both NanoAssemblr and rotary evaporator manufacturing processes. However, this increase was reduced slightly following the addition of Pluronic-F127. The addition of carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin to cationic liposomes resulted in an increase in transfection efficiency in mammalian cell lines. However, this increase appeared to be cell line specific, COS7 showed higher transfection efficiency compared to SH-SY5Y.

The androgen receptor (AR) is a key molecule involved in prostate cancer (PC) development and progression. Post-translational modification of the AR by co-regulator proteins can modulate its transcriptional activity. To identify which demethylases might be involved in AR regulation, an siRNA screen was performed to reveal that the demethylase, KDM4B, may be an important co-regulator protein. KDM4B enzymatic activity is required to enhance AR transcriptional activity; however, independently of this activity, KDM4B can enhance AR protein stability via inhibition of AR ubiquitination. Importantly, knockdown of KDM4B in multiple cell lines results in almost complete depletion of AR protein levels. For the first time, we have identified KDM4B to be an androgen-regulated demethylase enzyme, which can influence AR transcriptional activity not only via demethylation activity but also via modulation of ubiquitination. Together, these findings demonstrate the close functional relationship between AR and KDM4B, which work together to amplify the androgen response. Furthermore, KDM4B expression in clinical PC specimens positively correlates with increasing cancer grade (P < 0.001). Consequently, KDM4B is a viable therapeutic target in PC.

Multiple fibroblast growth factor (FGF) axis alterations are known to occur in prostate cancer. Here we simultaneously profiled key components of this axis to determine their relevance in disease progression. An optimized immunohistochemistry protocol was used in expression analysis of FGF2, FGF8, FGFR1, FGFR4, and Sef (similar expression to FGF) in a single TMA of prostate cancer. FGF ligands and receptors were overexpressed in cancers compared to benign samples (p < 0.0001), while Sef expression was reduced (p < 0.0001). There was a positive association between higher grades and increased FGFR4 (p = 0.02), FGF2, and FGF8 (p = 0.002 and p < 0.0001). Sef expression was progressively lower with increasing grade (p = 0.005). Clinical stage was positively associated with FGF2, FGF8, and FGFR4 expression (p = 0.005, 0.03, and 0.012) but not with FGFR1 or Sef expression. Only reduced Sef was associated with bone metastasis (p = 0.02) and was also predictive of subsequent metastasis in initially localized tumours (p = 0.004). Down-regulation of Sef and increased FGFR4 were also the only independent variables associated with disease-specific survival (HR 1.73, p = 0.04 and HR 0.56, p = 0.01). In in vitro studies, silencing Sef enhanced the cell response to FGFs (p < 0.001) and substantially mitigated the effectiveness of an FGFR1 inhibitor. Conversely, increased Sef blocked the response to FGFs and had a comparable suppressive effect to the inhibitor. This study demonstrates that increased FGFR4 and reduced Sef may be critical FGF alterations associated with prostate cancer progression. Sef may also have a role in the tumour response to FGFR inhibition and warrants further investigation in this context.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the feasibility of transcript profiling in diagnostic formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsies for prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Laser-capture microdissection (LCM) was used to microdissect glandular epithelium as well as stromal tissue in archival prostate needle biopsies. Optimized RNA extraction, reverse transcription and real-time PCR (QPCR) protocols were used to detect transcript expression. RNA degradation effects were assessed using hydrolysed cell line RNA and matched xenograft FFPE and frozen tumours. RESULTS LCM and RNA extraction was achieved in all biopsies from a pilot cohort of five patients. cDNA produced was successfully used to detect expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, RPL13, prostate-specific antigen, vimentin, inhibitor of differentiation/DNA binding 1 (Id-1) and polycomb group protein enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) transcripts. In the cell line and xenograft models, we investigated the effect of RNA degradation on transcript quantification by QPCR. In both models normalization of transcript quantity with a housekeeping gene resulted in restored expression in all degraded samples to within a 50% difference of control samples. Using an extended cohort of 29 biopsies, we tested application in detecting differences in EZH2 and Id-1 expression between malignant and benign epithelium. The results confirmed that our technique was capable of quantifying significant differences in expression between malignant and benign epithelium consistent with the reported trends. CONCLUSION This study reports the use of standard FFPE needle biopsies for transcript profiling and supports the concept of molecular prognostic studies in tissue acquired at diagnosis in prostate cancer.

The majority of epithelial ovarian cancers originate in the ovarian surface epithelium. The ovarian surface epithelium is a hormonally responsive tissue, and hormones are thought to play a key role in the development of this type of cancer. Gonadotrophin releasing hormone II is one of 2 isoforms which are thought to act through gonadotrophin releasing hormone receptor I, and gonadotrophin releasing hormone II has been shown to cause growth inhibition of cultured ovarian surface epithelium. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels and prognostic significance of gonadotrophin releasing hormone II and the gonadotrophin releasing hormone receptor I in epithelial ovarian cancer. Gonadotrophin releasing hormone II and gonadotrophin releasing hormone receptor I messenger RNA expression was examined in 23 cancers and 7 normal ovarian surface epithelium samples by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. An ovarian cancer tissue microarray containing 139 cases was constructed and immunohistochemical analysis of gonadotrophin releasing hormone II and gonadotrophin releasing hormone receptor I protein expression was performed and correlated with clinical outcome data. Gonadotrophin releasing hormone II messenger RNA expression was lower in cancer samples compared to normal ovarian surface epithelium samples (P < .05). Gonadotrophin releasing hormone II protein expression correlated with histologic subtype (25% serous versus 45% nonserous, P < .05) but not with overall survival. Gonadotrophin releasing hormone receptor I messenger RNA expression was highest in serous tumors when compared to non serous (P < .05) and normal tissue (P < .001). Expression of the gonadotrophin releasing hormone receptor I protein was also found to correlate with patient survival (P < .05). We have demonstrated gonadotrophin releasing hormone II and its receptor, gonadotrophin releasing hormone receptor I, are present in clinical ovarian samples, and that gonadotrophin releasing hormone receptor I protein expression is a favorable prognostic factor, suggesting these proteins play an important role in the development of epithelial ovarian cancer.

The androgen receptor (AR) is the main driver of prostate cancer (PC) development and progression, and the primary therapeutic target in PC. To date, two functional ubiquitination sites have been identified on AR, both located in its C-terminal ligand binding domain (LBD). Recent reports highlight the emergence of AR splice variants lacking the LBD that can arise during disease progression and contribute to castrate resistance. Here, we report a novel N-terminal ubiquitination site at lysine 311. Ubiquitination of this site plays a role in AR stability and is critical for its transcriptional activity. Inactivation of this site causes AR to accumulate on chromatin and inactivates its transcriptional function as a consequence of inability to bind to p300. Additionally, mutation at lysine 311 affects cellular transcriptome altering the expression of genes involved in chromatin organization, signaling, adhesion, motility, development and metabolism. Even though this site is present in clinically relevant AR-variants it can only be ubiquitinated in cells when AR retains LBD suggesting a role for AR C-terminus in E2/E3 substrate recognition. We report that as a consequence AR variants lacking the LBD cannot be ubiquitinated in the cellular environment and their protein turnover must be regulated via an alternate pathway.

Bone morphogenetic protein-6 (BMP-6) has been strongly implicated in prostate cancer development and bone metastasis. Our previous data showed that BMP-6 mRNA was absent in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, but evident in primary tumours with established secondary skeletal metastases. To examine the role of BMP-6 in prostate cancer progression, we have developed a BMP-6-regulatable, doxycycline-inducible gene expression system. BMP-6 induction by doxycycline addition led to increased levels of BMP-6 RNA and protein, associated with nuclear translocation of SMADs and activation of the downstream target gene Id-1. BMP-6 protein did not enhance the proliferation rate of PC3M cells but did significantly increase the rate of migration and invasion in both PC3M and DU145 cells. Increased metalloproteinase (MMP-1 and MMP-9) mRNA levels were also observed following BMP-6 induction. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed BMP-6-mediated activation of MMP-1 and MMP-9 promoters, indicating direct transcriptional activation of MMPs by BMP-6. BMP-6 stimulation also led to an increase in phosphorylation levels of MAPK proteins. We next examined the effects of BMP-6 on the downstream gene Id-1 in a cohort of prostate cancer patients. A tissue microarray (TMA) was constructed and samples stained for BMP-6 and Id-1 expression. We observed a significant increase in the intensity of staining of epithelial BMP-6 in the cancer cases compared to the benign cases (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.0005) and in the intensity of staining of epithelial Id-1 in the cancer cases compared to the benign cases (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.015). We further observed a significant positive correlation between epithelial staining for Id-1 and BMP-6 (p = 0.001) across all samples for both benign and cancer cases. These data demonstrate that BMP-6 promotes migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells, potentially through activation of Id-1 and MMP activation.

Biomechanical strain imposed by age-related thickening of the basal lamina and augmented tissue stiffness in the prostate gland coincides with increased cancer risk. Here we hypothesized that the structural alterations in the basal lamina associated with age can induce mechanotransduction pathways in prostate epithelial cells (PECs) to promote invasiveness and cancer progression. To demonstrate this, we developed a 3D model of PEC acini in which thickening and stiffening of basal lamina matrix was induced by advanced glycation end-product (AGE)-dependent non-enzymatic crosslinking of its major components, collagen IV and laminin. We used this model to demonstrate that antibody targeted blockade of CTLD2, the second of eight C-type lectin-like domains in Endo180 (CD280, CLEC13E, KIAA0709, MRC2, TEM9, uPARAP) that can recognize glycosylated collagens, reversed actinomyosin-based contractility [myosin-light chain-2 (MLC2) phosphorylation], loss of cell polarity, loss of cell-cell junctions, luminal infiltration and basal invasion induced by AGE-modified basal lamina matrix in PEC acini. Our in vitro results were concordant with luminal occlusion of acini in the prostate glands of adult Endo180(Δ) (Ex2-6/) (Δ) (Ex2-6) mice, with constitutively exposed CTLD2 and decreased survival of men with early (non-invasive) prostate cancer with high epithelial Endo180 expression and levels of AGE. These findings indicate that AGE-dependent modification of the basal lamina induces invasive behaviour in non-transformed PECs via a molecular mechanism linked to cancer progression. This study provides a rationale for targeting CTLD2 in Endo180 in prostate cancer and other pathologies in which increased basal lamina thickness and tissue stiffness are driving factors. © 2014 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF), and in particular FGF8, have been strongly implicated in prostate carcinogenesis. This study investigated the expression of Sef, a key inhibitory regulator of FGF signalling, in prostate cancer. In a panel of cell lines, hSef was detected in both androgen-dependent and independent cells but was significantly reduced in highly metastatic derivative clones. hSef expression was not influenced by androgenic stimulation. Forced downregulation of hSef by siRNA increased FGF8b induced cell migration (P=0.02) and invasion (P=0.007). Reduced hSef levels also enhanced FGF8b stimulated expression of MMP9 (P=0.005). mRNA in situ hybridization revealed hSef expression in 80% (8/10) of benign biopsies but in only 69% (23/33) of Gleason sum 4–7 and 35% (10/28) of Gleason sum 8–10 cancer biopsies (P=0.004). Quantitative PCR of microdissected glands confirmed this trend (P=0.001). hSef was expressed in 69% (27/39) of non-metastatic tumours but in only 18% (2/11) of metastatic tumours (P=0.004, n=50). hSef expression was next correlated with earlier data on FGF8b expression in a subgroup of cancers. In this cohort, 86% (19/22) of high-grade cancers expressed FGF8 but only 31% (7/22) expressed hSef. Positive FGF8 expression but a loss of hSef was observed in 88% (7/8) of metastatic tumours. In contrast, metastasis was evident in only 10% (1/10) of tumours, which co-expressed both FGF8 and hSef (P

The sexes of non-ratite birds can be determined routinely by PCR amplification of the CHD-Z and CHD-W genes. CHD -based molecular sexing of four species of auklets revealed the presence of a polymorphism in the Z chromosome. No deviation from a 1:1 sex ratio was observed among the chicks, though the analyses were of limited power. Polymorphism in the CHD-Z gene has not been reported previously in any bird, but if undetected it could lead to the incorrect assignment of sex. We discuss the potential difficulties caused by a polymorphism such as that identified in auklets and the merits of alternative CHD -based sexing protocols and primers.

The androgen receptor (AR), a member of the nuclear receptor family, is a transcription factor involved in prostate cell growth, homeostasis, and transformation. AR is a key protein in growth and development of both normal and malignant prostate, making it a common therapeutic target in prostate cancer. AR is regulated by an interplay of multiple post-translational modifications including ubiquitination. We and others have shown that the AR is ubiquitinated by a number of E3 ubiquitin ligases, including MDM2, CHIP, and NEDD4, which can result in its proteosomal degradation or enhanced transcriptional activity. As ubiquitination of AR causes a change in AR activity or stability and impacts both survival and growth of prostate cancer cells, deubiquitination of these sites has an equally important role. Hence, deubiquitinating enzymes could offer novel therapeutic targets. We performed an siRNA screen to identify deubiquitinating enzymes that regulate AR; in that screen ubiquitin-specific protease 12 (Usp12) was identified as a novel positive regulator of AR. Usp12 is a poorly characterized protein with few known functions and requires the interaction with two cofactors, Uaf-1 and WDR20, for its enzymatic activity. In this report we demonstrate that Usp12, in complex with Uaf-1 and WDR20, deubiquitinates the AR to enhance receptor stability and transcriptional activity. Our data show that Usp12 acts in a pro-proliferative manner by stabilizing AR and enhancing its cellular function.

BACKGROUND: The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) axis is an important mitogenic stimulus in prostate carcinogenesis. We have previously reported that transcript level of human similar expression to FGF (hSef), a key regulator of this pathway, is downregulated in clinical prostate cancer. In this study we further analysed the role of hSef in prostate cancer. METHODS: hSef function was studied in in vitro and in vivo prostate cancer models using stable over-expression clones. Protein expression of hSef was studied in a comprehensive tissue microarray. RESULTS: Stable over-expression of hSef resulted in reduced in vitro cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasive potential. In an in vivo xenograft model, the expression of hSef significantly retarded prostate tumour growth as compared with empty vector (P=0.03) and non-transfected (P=0.0001) controls. Histological examination further showed a less invasive tumour phenotype and reduced numbers of proliferating cells (P=0.0002). In signalling studies, hSef inhibited FGF-induced ERK phosphorylation, migration to the nucleus and activation of a reporter gene. Constitutively active Ras, however, was able to reverse these effects, suggesting that hSef exerts an effect either above or at the level of Ras in prostate cancer cells. In a large tissue microarray, we observed a significant loss of hSef protein in high-grade (P

GnRH II has important functional effects in steroid hormone-dependent tumours. Here we investigated the expression and regulation of GnRH II in prostate cancer. GnRH II protein was equally expressed in benign (73%) and malignant (78%) biopsies studied in a prostate tissue microarray (P = 0.779). There was no relationship between expression and clinical parameters in the cancer cohort. GnRH II was, however, significantly reduced in tumour biopsies following hormone ablation. This was further investigated in a prostate xenograft model where androgens increased GnRH II levels, while their withdrawal reduced it. In cell lines, we confirmed high levels of GnRH II in androgen receptor (AR)-positive LNCaP cells but low levels in AR-negative PC3 cells. In LNCaP cells, GnRH II induction by androgens was blocked by the AR inhibitor casodex, but not by cycloheximide treatment. Sequence analysis subsequently revealed a putative androgen response element in the upstream region of the GnRH II gene and direct interaction with the AR was confirmed in chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments. Finally, to test whether the effects of GnRH II were dependent on AR expression, LNCaP and PC3 cells were exposed to exogenous peptide. In both cell lines, GnRH II inhibited cell proliferation and migration, suggesting that its function is independent of AR status. These results provide evidence that GnRH II is widely expressed in prostate cancer and is an AR-regulated gene. Further studies are warranted to characterise the effects of GnRH II on prostate cancer cells and investigate its potential value as a novel therapy.

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) mediate the tumourigenic effects of FGFs in prostate cancer. These receptors are therefore potential therapeutic targets in the development of inhibitors to this pathway. To identify the most relevant targets, we simultaneously investigated FGFR1-4 expression using a prostate cancer tissue microarray (TMA) and in laser capture microdissected (LCM) prostate epithelial cells. In malignant prostates (n = 138) we observed significant FGFR1 and FGFR4 protein over-expression in comparison with benign prostates (n = 58; p < 0.0001). FGFR1 was expressed at high levels in the majority of tumours (69% of grade 3 or less, 74% of grade 4 and 70% of grade 5), while FGFR4 was strongly expressed in 83% of grade 5 cancers but in only 25% of grade 1-3 cancers (p < 0.0001). At the transcript level we observed a similar pattern, with FGFR1 and FGFR4 mRNA over-expressed in malignant epithelial cells compared to benign cells (p < 0.0005 and p < 0.05, respectively). While total FGFR2 was increased in some cancers, there was no association between expression and tumour grade or stage. Transcript analysis, however, revealed a switch in the predominant isoform expressed from FGFR2IIIb to FGFR2IIIc among malignant epithelial cells. In contrast, protein and transcript expression of FGFR3 was very similar between benign and cancer biopsies. The functional effect of targeting FGFR4 in prostate cancer cells has not previously been investigated. In in vitro experiments, suppression of FGFR4 by RNA interference effectively blocked prostate cancer cell proliferation (p < 0.0001) and invasion (p < 0.001) in response to exogenous stimulation. This effect was evident regardless of whether the cells expressed the FGFR4 Arg388 or Gly388 allele. In parallel experiments, FGFR3 suppression had no discernible effect on cancer cell behaviour. These results suggest evidence of selective over-expression of FGFR1 and FGFR4 in clinical prostate cancer and support the notion of targeted inhibition of these receptors to disrupt FGF signalling.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) therapy is an established method of androgen withdrawal in the treatment of prostate cancer. The present study investigated if the expression of prostate GnRH receptors (GnRHRs) might influence the response to GnRHa. GnRHR protein expression was first studied in a panel of prostate cancer cell lines. In androgen-dependent cells, GnRHR expression was unchanged following acute or chronic androgen withdrawal. In these cells, GnRHa significantly inhibited androgen-induced cell proliferation (p = 0.01). In contrast, GnRHa was unable to further suppress basal levels of cell proliferation induced by androgen withdrawal. In androgen-independent prostate cancer cells, variable levels of GnRHR expression were observed. In these cells, GnRHa treatment blocked cell proliferation (p = 0.001) and invasion (up to 70%) induced by fibroblast growth factor stimulation. Crucially, this effect was only evident in cells that expressed high levels of the GnRHR. GnRHa treatment also significantly inhibited the ability of these cells to recover from a cytotoxic insult (50% inhibition). The clinical significance of prostate GnRHR was tested by immunohistochemistry in a preliminary cohort of patients treated with GnRHa or surgical castration. There was no association between GnRHR expression and pathological grade, clinical stage, time to PSA nadir (p = 0.82) (n = 35) or progression to hormone refractory disease (p = 0.22) (n = 21), irrespective of the treatment method. GnRHa therapy in the presence of high GnRHR expression however, was found to be associated with longer disease-specific survival (mean survival 85 months, p = 0.002). In contrast, high GnRHR expression was not associated with survival among surgically castrated patients (mean survival 50 months, p = 0.7). Taken together, these data support the notion of a functional interaction between GnRHa and the GnRHR, which results in an anti-tumourigenic effect on prostate cancer cells. Findings from this report have direct implications for the use of GnRHR as a novel therapeutic target in hormone refractory prostate cancer.

Introduction: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common male cancer in the western world. The androgen receptor (AR) plays a central role in PC development and remains the primary target for therapy. Androgen deprivation therapy is currently the standard treatment for PC. However, following a 2-3 year period, a more aggressive cancer usually recurs that is unresponsive to further androgen deprivation and is termed castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Several AR interacting proteins are components of the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation system, including Mdm2, CHIP and E6AP E3 ligases implicating proteasomal degradation/activation as a key event in AR function. In this study we have investigated the involvement of ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinase (DUB) enzymes in AR ubiquitination and examined whether altered ubiquitination levels play a critical role in AR function and the development of CRPC. Methods: In vitro ubiquitination assays were performed with AR as the substrate with multiple purified E3 ligase enzymes in conjunction with wild type or mutant ubiquitin (K7R, K48 and K63). Ubiquitinated AR fragments were excised and subjected to proteomic analysis to determine novel sites of ubiquitination within AR. Mutant recombinant AR proteins were subsequently generated that replaced the putative ubiquitination sites and the effect of residue substitution on AR ubiquitination studied. siRNA library screening, Western blotting and immunoprecipitation studies identified DUBs implicated in AR ubiquitination and downstream events. Results: In vitro ubiquitination assays utilising lysine null ubiquitin demonstrated monoubiquitination of AR in multiple domains of AR in response to four E3 ligases. K48 ubiquitin (implicated in proteasomal degradation) and K63 ubiquitin (implicated in substrate activation) incorporated into in vitro assays identified differential poly-ubiquitination chain patterns in AR, dependent on which E3 ligase was used in the assay. Proteomic analysis of ubiquitinated AR fragments revealed a novel site of ubiquitination within the N-terminal region AR. AR protein stability was greatly enhanced following mutation of the novel ubiquitination site within the AR. To examine deubiquitination of AR, a siRNA screen was performed and target DUBs identified. Over-expression or knockdown of the target DUBs revealed dramatic effects not only on AR ubiquitination levels but also on protein stability and modulation of downstream AR target genes PSA, NKX3.1, KLK2 and TMPRSS2. Conclusions: In this study mass spectroscopy revealed a novel site of ubiquitination within the AR and a siRNA screen identified DUB enzymes involved in AR deubiquitination. Modulation of ubiquitination levels of AR was observed following substitution of the novel lysine ubiquitination site or through altering DUB enzyme protein expression. Both events led to stabilisation and accumulation of AR protein levels with subsequent altered downstream gene transcription. Additional experiments are underway to examine the interplay for E3 ligases and DUBs that regulate AR ubiquitination to further elucidate the mechanisms controlling AR signalling in prostate cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4053. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4053

We used a functional complementation approach to identify tumor-suppressor genes and putative therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer. Microcell-mediated transfer of chromosome 18 in the ovarian cancer cell line TOV21 G induced in vitro and in vivo neoplastic suppression. Gene expression microarray profiling in TOV21 +19 hybrids identified 14 candidate genes on chromosome 18 that were significantly overexpressed and therefore associated with neoplastic suppression. Further analysis of messenger RNA and protein expression for these genes in additional ovarian cancer cell lines indicated that EPB41L3 (erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.1-like 3, alternative names DAL-1 and 4.1 B) was a candidate ovarian cancer-suppressor gene. Immunoblot analysis showed that EPB41L3 was activated in TOV21 +18 hybrids, expressed in normal ovarian epithelial cell lines, but was absent in 15 (78%) of 19 ovarian cancer cell lines. Using immunohistochemistry, 66% of 794 invasive ovarian tumors showed no EPB41L3 expression compared with only 24% of benign ovarian tumors and 0% of normal ovarian epithelial tissues. EPB41L3 was extersively methylated it ovarian cancer cell Hires and primary ovarian tumors compared with normal tissues (P = 00004), suggesting this may be the mechanism of gene inactivation it ovarian cancers. Constitutive reexpressior of EPB41L3 it a three-dimensional multicellular spheroid model of ovarian cancer caused significant growth suppressior and induced apoptosis. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated many similarities between EPB41L3-expressing cells and chromosome 18 donor-recipient hybrids, suggesting that EPB41L3 is the gene responsible for reoplastic suppression after chromosome 18 transfer. Finally, ar irducible model of EPB41L3 expression it three-dimersioral spheroids confirmed that reexpression of EPB41L3 induces extensive apoptotic cell death it ovarian cancers.

IntroductionProstate cancer (PC) is the most common male cancer in the western world. The androgen receptor (AR) plays a central role in PC development and remains the primary target for therapy. Androgen deprivation therapy is currently the standard treatment for PC. However, following a 2-3 year period, a more aggressive cancer usually recurs that is unresponsive to further androgen deprivation and is termed castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Several AR interacting proteins are components of the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation system, including Mdm2, CHIP and E6AP E3 ligases implicating proteasomal degradation/activation as a key event in AR function. In this study we have investigated which ubiquitin ligases are involved in AR ubiquitination and whether altered ubiquitination levels play a critical role and subsequent AR function in development of CRPC.MethodsIn vitro ubiquitination assays were performed with AR as the substrate with multiple purified E3 ligase enzymes in conjunction with wild type or mutant ubiquitin (K7R, K48 and K63). A panel of E2 conjugating enzymes were also employed to identify which E2/E3 heterodimers were involved in this process. Ubiquitinated AR fragments were gel excised and digested with trypsin. Fragments were then subjected to proteomic analysis to determine the sites of ubiquitination in AR.ResultsIn vitro ubiquitination assays using lysine null ubiquitin (K7R) revealed monoubiquitination of AR in multiple domains of AR in response to four E3 ligases. Screening of an E2 panel also identified multiple E2 conjugating enzymes implicated in AR ubiquitination. K48 ubiquitin (implicated in proteosomal degradation) and K63 ubiquitin (implicated in substrate activation) incorporated into in vitro assays identified differential poly-ubiquitination chain patterns in AR, dependent on which E3 ligase was used in the assay. Proteomic analysis of ubiquitinated AR fragments identified a novel site of ubiquitination within AR.ConclusionsAR was ubiquitinated by four E3 ligases evaluated in this study. Mono- and poly-ubiquitination of AR was identified. Mass spectroscopy revealed a novel site of ubiquitination in AR. Further experiments are being performed, including site directed mutagenesis to determine the importance of the novel ubiquitination site in AR protein proteosomal turnover and transcriptional activation. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3153.

The effect of degradable starch microspheres (DSM) on the passage of a low molecular weight marker through the liver of patients with metastases was compared with the passage of an anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody. In all six patients studied DSM reduced the passage of the marker into the systemic circulation. In three patients who received labelled whole antibody, DSM had no effect. In two of three who received antibody fragments a similar delay to the low molecular weight marker was observed. This delay is likely to be a result of the smaller size of the fragments and may represent accumulation within the extravascular space.