We examined the impact of EGFR-ERK signaling on poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation following ionizing irradiation of human prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines displaying marked differences in ERK dependence.
Our results suggest that aberrant loss of MAPK/ERK activity in prostate cancer may play a pivotal role in the malignant phenotype, and provide evidence that interventions aimed at bypassing the signaling block are able to effectively reverse neoplastic unchecked cell proliferation.
In functional assays, SPRED2 overexpression reduced ERK phosphorylation and inhibited prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration in response to different growth factors and full-media stimulation (P<0.001).
Prostate cancer susceptibility loci that have been reported so far include HPC1 (1q24-q25), PCAP (1q42-q43), HPCX (Xq27-q28), CAPB (1p36), HPC20 (20q13), HPC2/ELAC2 (17p11) and 16q23.
Taken together with studies indicating that EphB2 may have an essential role in cell migration and maintenance of normal tissue architecture, our findings suggest that mutational inactivation of EPHB2 may be important in the progression and metastasis of prostate cancer.
Finally, the results demonstrated that AQP3 upregulated matrix metalloproteinase‑3 (MMP‑3) expression and secretion in prostate cancer cells via activation of the ERK pathway.
Together, we have identified an association of genetic variants and genes in the RTK/ERK pathway with prostate cancer aggressiveness, and highlighted the potential importance of CCND2 in prostate cancer susceptibility and tumor progression to metastasis.
Single marker-based logistical regression analyses revealed seven EphB2 SNPs showing statistically significant association with prostate cancer risk in our population.
These results indicate that CLIC1 could regulate prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration by regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK pathway and offers a candidate molecular target for prostate cancer prevention and therapy.