Growth Factor Linked to Expansion and Migration of Prostate Tumors

Proepithelin, a growth factor that promotes cell cycle progression and cell growth in many cellular systems has been linked to the ability of some prostate cancer tumors to expand and migrate.

Investigators at Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, PA, USA) based their research on prostate cancer on previous studies that had shown that proepithelin played a role in the formation of bladder cancer, and that its overexpression was related to an aggressive form of breast cancer.

During this study, they used cultures of prostate cancer cells treated with purified human recombinant proepithelin. Other cultures were grown in conditions of proepithelin depletion.

They reported in the January 29, 2009, online edition of the American Journal of Pathology (AJP) that proepithelin promoted the migration of androgen-dependent and -independent human prostate cancer cells. Androgen-independent DU145 cells were the most responsive. In these cells, proepithelin additionally stimulated wound closure, invasion, and promotion of cell growth in vitro. These effects required the activation of both the Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

These results supported the hypothesis that proepithelin may play a critical role as an autocrine growth factor in the establishment and initial progression of prostate cancer. "There are two possible implications of our findings," said senior author Dr. Andrea Morrione, associated professor of urology at Thomas Jefferson University. "First, proepithelin could be a therapeutic target since it is overexpressed in prostate cancers. Second, the overexpression of proepithelin could serve as a biomarker and be a diagnostic tool for prostate cancer."

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