Characterization of Heterogeneous Prostate Tumors in Targeted Pten Knockout Mice

PLoS One. 2016 Jan 25;11(1):e0147500. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147500. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Previously, we generated a preclinical mouse prostate tumor model based on PSA-Cre driven inactivation of Pten. In this model homogeneous hyperplastic prostates (4-5m) developed at older age (>10m) into tumors. Here, we describe the molecular and histological characterization of the tumors in order to better understand the processes that are associated with prostate tumorigenesis in this targeted mouse Pten knockout model. The morphologies of the tumors that developed were very heterogeneous. Different histopathological growth patterns could be identified, including intraductal carcinoma (IDC), adenocarcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma, all strongly positive for the epithelial cell marker Cytokeratin (CK), and carcinosarcomas, which were negative for CK. IDC pattern was already detected in prostates of 7-8 month old mice, indicating that it could be a precursor stage. At more than 10 months IDC and carcinosarcoma were most frequently observed. Gene expression profiling discriminated essentially two molecular subtypes, denoted tumor class 1 (TC1) and tumor class 2 (TC2). TC1 tumors were characterized by high expression of epithelial markers like Cytokeratin 8 and E-Cadherin whereas TC2 tumors showed high expression of mesenchyme/stroma markers such as Snail and Fibronectin. These molecular subtypes corresponded with histological growth patterns: where TC1 tumors mainly represented adenocarcinoma/intraductal carcinoma, in TC2 tumors carcinosarcoma was the dominant growth pattern. Further molecular characterization of the prostate tumors revealed an increased expression of genes associated with the inflammatory response. Moreover, functional markers for senescence, proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis were higher expressed in tumors compared to hyperplasia. The highest expression of proliferation and angiogenesis markers was detected in TC2 tumors. Our data clearly showed that in the genetically well-defined PSA-Cre;Pten-loxP/loxP prostate tumor model, histopathological, molecular and biological heterogeneity occurred during later stages of tumor development.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / chemistry
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Biomarkers
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cadherins / analysis
  • Carcinoma / chemistry
  • Carcinoma / genetics*
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Carcinosarcoma / chemistry
  • Carcinosarcoma / genetics
  • Carcinosarcoma / pathology
  • Cellular Senescence / genetics
  • Disease Progression
  • Epithelial Cells / chemistry
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Keratins / analysis
  • Male
  • Mesoderm / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neoplasm Proteins / analysis
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / genetics
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / deficiency*
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / genetics
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / classification
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Neoplasm / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Stromal Cells / chemistry

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cadherins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • Keratins
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • Pten protein, mouse

Grants and funding

The research leading to these results has received support from: The Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking under grant agreement n° 115188, resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union's 7th Framework Programme (2007‐2013) and EFPIA companies' in kind contribution. www.predect.eu. Dutch Cancer Society KWF (Grant number:EMCR 2006-3592, www.kwfkankerbestrijding.nl). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.