miR-221 Is Down-regulated in TMPRSS2:ERG Fusion-positive Prostate Cancer

• Published in: Anticancer research Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 403 - 410
• Main Authors: GORDANPOUR, Aida, STANIMIROVIC, Aleksandra, NAM, Robert K, MORENO, Carlos S, SHERMAN, Christopher, SUGAR, Linda, SETH, Arun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Attiki International Institute of Anticancer Research 01.02.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cohort Studies; Down-Regulation; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Gene Fusion; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; MicroRNAs - biosynthesis; MicroRNAs - genetics; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - genetics; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - metabolism; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion - biosynthesis; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion - genetics; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion - metabolism; Prostatic Neoplasms - genetics; Prostatic Neoplasms - metabolism; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors; Tumors of the urinary system; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; Urinary system disease; RNA interference; Prostate disease; Micro RNA; Malignant tumor; Gene silencing; Cancerology; C-Onc gene; microRNA; Male genital diseases; Prostate cancer; Hybrid gene; Protooncogene; Cancer; Fusion gene; TMPRSS2:ERG
• ISSN: 0250-7005; 1791-7530

Expression profiling studies using microarrays and other methods have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) are dysregulated in a wide variety of human cancers. The up-regulation of miR-221 has been reported in carcinomas of the pancreas, breast, and papillary thyroid, as well as in glioblastoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. In prostate cancer, however, down-regulation of miR-221 has been repeatedly confirmed in miRNA expression studies. Also unique to prostate cancer, and found in more than 50% of patients, is the aberrant expression of a known oncogene, the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion. To date, there has been no published study describing miRNA associations in prostate tumours that overexpress the ERG oncogene from the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion transcript. Herein we report that in a large and diverse cohort of prostate carcinoma samples, miR-221 is down-regulated in patients with tumours bearing TMPRSS2:ERG fusion transcripts, thus providing a link between miRNA and gene fusion expression.