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01-10-2019 | Original Article

C-MYC, HIF-1α, ERG, TKT, and GSTP1: an Axis in Prostate Cancer?

Authors: L. Boldrini, R. Bartoletti, M. Giordano, F. Manassero, C. Selli, M. Panichi, L. Galli, F. Farci, P. Faviana

Published in: Pathology & Oncology Research | Issue 4/2019

Abstract

To analyze putative biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCA) characterization, the second leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in men. Quantification of the expression level of c-myc and HIF-1α was performed in 72 prostate cancer specimens. A cohort of 497 prostate cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was further analyzed, in order to test our hypothesis. We found that high c-myc level was significantly associated with HIF-1α elevated expression (p = 0.008) in our 72 samples. Statistical analysis of 497 TCGA prostate cancer specimens confirmed the strong association (p = 0.0005) of c-myc and HIF-1α expression levels, as we found in our series. Moreover, we found high c-myc levels significantly associated with low Glutatione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) expression (p = 0.01), with high Transketolase (TKT) expression (p < 0.0001). High TKT levels were found in TCGA samples with low GSTP1 mRNA (p < 0.0001), as shown for c-myc, and with ERG increased expression (p = 0.02). Finally, samples with low GSTP1 expression displayed higher ERG mRNA levels than samples with high GSTP1 score (p < 0.0001), as above shown for c-myc. Our study emphasizes the notion of a potential value of HIF-1α and c-myc as putative biomarkers in prostate cancer; moreover TCGA data analysis showed a putative crosstalk between c-myc, HIF-1α, ERG, TKT, and GSTP1, suggesting a potential use of this axis in prostate cancer.

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Title: C-MYC, HIF-1α, ERG, TKT, and GSTP1: an Axis in Prostate Cancer?
Authors: L. Boldrini
R. Bartoletti
M. Giordano
F. Manassero
C. Selli
M. Panichi
L. Galli
F. Farci
P. Faviana
Publication date: 01-10-2019
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Pathology & Oncology Research / Issue 4/2019
Print ISSN: 1219-4956
Electronic ISSN: 1532-2807
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12253-018-0479-4

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