Urinary HOXC6 and DLX1 mRNA levels were quantified and RNA results were then combined with other risk factors in a clinical model optimized to detect ISUP (International Society of Urological Pathology) Grade Group 2 or greater prostate cancer in men with prostate specific antigen less than 10 ng/ml.
In conclusion, the overexpression of miR-539-mediated DLX1 inhibition could potentially impede EMT, proliferation, migration and invasion of PCa cells through the blockade of the TGF-β/Smad4 signalling pathway, highlighting a potential miR-539/DLX1/TGF-β/Smad4 regulatory axis in the treatment of PCa.
Silencing of three genes (DLX1, PLA2G7 and RHOU) in the prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and VCaP by siRNA resulted in marked growth arrest and cytotoxicity, particularly in 3D organotypic cell culture conditions.
The urinary three-gene panel (HOXC6, TDRD1, and DLX1) represents a promising tool to identify patients with aggressive prostate cancer, also in those with low sPSA values.