miR-221 Is down-regulated in TMPRSS2:ERG fusion-positive prostate cancer

Anticancer Res. 2011 Feb;31(2):403-10.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • Down-Regulation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Fusion
  • Humans
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / biosynthesis
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / genetics
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / biosynthesis
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics*
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • MIRN221 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • TMPRSS2-ERG fusion protein, human