Identifying the role of apolipoprotein A-I in prostate cancer

Asian J Androl. 2021 Jul-Aug;23(4):400-408. doi: 10.4103/aja.aja_92_20.

Abstract

Although localized prostate cancer (PCa) can be cured by prostatectomy and radiotherapy, the development of effective therapeutic approaches for advanced prostate cancer, including castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) and neuroendocrine PCa (NEPC), is lagging far behind. Identifying a novel prognostic and diagnostic biomarker for early diagnosis and intervention is an urgent clinical need. Here, we report that apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), the major component of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), is upregulated in PCa based on both bioinformatics and experimental evidence. The fact that advanced PCa shows strong ApoA-I expression reflects its potential role in driving therapeutic resistance and disease progression by reprogramming the lipid metabolic network of tumor cells. Molecularly, ApoA-I is regulated by MYC, a frequently amplified oncogene in late-stage PCa. Altogether, our findings have revealed a novel indicator to predict prognosis and recurrence, which would benefit patients who are prone to progress to metastasis or even NEPC, which is the lethal subtype of PCa.

Keywords: MYC; advanced prostate cancer; apolipoprotein A-I; lipid metabolism.

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Apolipoprotein A-I / metabolism*
  • Cell Line / metabolism
  • Cell Line / physiology
  • Disease Progression
  • Humans
  • Lipoproteins, HDL / analysis
  • Lipoproteins, HDL / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Prognosis
  • Prostate / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Apolipoprotein A-I
  • Lipoproteins, HDL