ERG cooperates with androgen receptor in regulating trefoil factor 3 in prostate cancer disease progression

Neoplasia. 2010 Dec;12(12):1031-40. doi: 10.1593/neo.10866.

Abstract

To elucidate the role of ETS gene fusions in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), we characterized the transcriptome of 54 CRPC tumor samples from men with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) emerged as the most highly differentially regulated gene with respect to ERG rearrangement status and resistance to hormone ablation therapy. Conventional chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-polymerase chain reaction and ChIP followed by DNA sequencing (ChIP-seq) revealed direct binding of ERG to ETS binding sites in the TFF3 promoter in ERG-rearranged prostate cancer cell lines. These results were confirmed in ERG-rearranged hormone-naive prostate cancer (HNPC) and CRPC tissue samples. Functional studies demonstrated that ERG has an inhibitory effect on TFF3 expression in hormone-naive cancer but not in the castration-resistant state. In addition, we provide evidence suggesting an effect of androgen receptor signaling on ERG-regulated TFF3 expression. Furthermore, TFF3 overexpression enhances ERG-mediated cell invasion in CRPC prostate cancer cells. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel mechanism for enhanced tumor cell aggressiveness resulting from ERG rearrangement in the castration-resistant setting through TFF3 gene expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • Disease Progression
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / genetics
  • Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent
  • Peptides / genetics*
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Androgen / metabolism*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Signal Transduction
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcriptional Regulator ERG
  • Trefoil Factor-3

Substances

  • ERG protein, human
  • Peptides
  • Receptors, Androgen
  • TFF3 protein, human
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcriptional Regulator ERG
  • Trefoil Factor-3