We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Prostate Cancer Metastasis Requires Loss of E-Cadherin Activity

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 18 Apr 2013
Cancer researchers have shown how the action of the transcription factor SPDEF (SAM Pointed Domain ETS transcription Factor) regulates E-Cadherin in prostate cancer cells and determines whether the prostate tumor will metastasize.

Cadherins (named for “calcium-dependent adhesion”) are a class of type-1 transmembrane proteins. More...
They play important roles in cell adhesion, ensuring that cells within tissues are bound together. They are dependent on calcium (Ca2+) ions to function, hence their name. It has been observed that cells containing a specific cadherin subtype tend to cluster together to the exclusion of other types, both in cell culture and during development. Loss of E-cadherin function or expression has been implicated in cancer progression and metastasis. E-cadherin down regulation decreases the strength of cellular adhesion within a tissue, resulting in an increase in cellular motility. This in turn may allow cancer cells to cross the basement membrane and invade surrounding tissues.

The SPDEF protein belongs to the ETS family of transcription factors. It is highly expressed in prostate epithelial cells and functions as an androgen-independent transactivator of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) promoter.

Investigators at the University of Colorado Cancer Center (Denver, USA) had shown previously that SPDEF inhibited prostate cancer metastasis in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, they evaluated the relationship between SPDEF and E-Cadherin expression in an effort to better understand the mechanism of action of SPDEF in prostate tumor-cell invasion and metastasis.

Results published in the February 28, 2013, online edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry demonstrated a direct correlation between expression of E-Cadherin and SPDEF in prostate cancer cells and showed that modulation of E-Cadherin and SPDEF had similar effects on cell migration and invasion. In addition, short interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated knockdown of E-Cadherin was sufficient to block the effects of SPDEF on cell migration and invasion. Stable forced expression of SPDEF resulted in increased expression of E-Cadherin, while down regulation of SPDEF decreased E-Cadherin expression. SPDEF expression was not regulated by E-Cadherin.

A chromatin immuno-precipitation and luciferase reporter assay revealed that SPDEF occupied the E-Cadherin promoter site and acted as a direct transcriptional inducer of E-Cadherin in prostate cancer cells.

“When E-Cadherin is lost, cells become rogue: they can detach from their surrounding tissues, move effortlessly through the circulatory system, grow and attach at new sites,” said senior author Dr. Hari Koul, professor of urology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. “In prostate tumors that had lost E-Cadherin, we put in SPDEF and the tumors once again expressed E-Cadherin. They were once again anchored in place and unable to metastasize. We can make these rogue cells back into epithelial-like cells and these epithelial cells stay anchored and lose the ability to migrate.”

“These studies paint a pretty compelling picture of SPDEF working in part through the modulation of E-Cadherin to inhibit prostate cancer metastasis,” said Dr. Koul. “To the best of our knowledge these are the first studies demonstrating the requirement of SPDEF for expression of E-Cadherin. This could be a real landmark. We see a prerequisite for metastasis and now we have a very clear picture of how to remove this necessary condition for the most dangerous behavior of prostate cancer.”

Related Links:

University of Colorado Cancer Center



New
Gold Member
Cardiovascular Risk Test
Metabolic Syndrome Array I & II
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Urine Chemistry Control
Dropper Urine Chemistry Control
New
Pipette
Accumax Smart Series
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: A diagnostic test can distinguish patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who can be cured with surgery alone (Photo courtesy of University of Turku)

Novel Diagnostic Tool to Revolutionize Treatment Guidance of Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a solid tumor type commonly treated with surgery. However, there has been no clinically available method to determine which patients can be cured with surgery... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The microfluidic device for passive separation of platelet-rich plasma from whole blood (Photo courtesy of University of the Basque Country)

Portable and Disposable Device Obtains Platelet-Rich Plasma Without Complex Equipment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) plays a crucial role in regenerative medicine due to its ability to accelerate healing and repair tissue. However, obtaining PRP traditionally requires expensive centrifugation... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The 3D paper-based analytical device has shown high clinical accuracy for adult-onset immunodeficiency (Photo courtesy of National Taiwan University)

Paper-Based Device Accurately Detects Immune Defects in 10 Minutes

Patients with hidden immune defects are especially vulnerable to severe and persistent infections, often due to autoantibodies that block interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), a key molecule in immune defense.... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The groundbreaking salmonella antimicrobial resistance prediction platform has demonstrated 95% accuracy (Photo courtesy of Yujie You et al., DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2025.01.013)

New Platform Leverages AI and Quantum Computing to Predict Salmonella Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella strains are a growing public health concern due to the overuse of antimicrobials and the rise of genetic mutations. Accurate prediction of resistance is crucial for effective... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The Check4 gene-detection platform (Photo courtesy of IdentifySensors)

Electronic Biosensors Used to Detect Pathogens Can Rapidly Detect Cancer Cells

A major challenge in healthcare is the early and affordable detection of serious diseases such as cancer. Early diagnosis remains difficult due to the complexity of identifying specific genetic markers... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.