IL-6 Overexpression in ERG-Positive Prostate Cancer Is Mediated by Prostaglandin Receptor EP2.

IL-6 Overexpression in ERG-Positive Prostate Cancer Is Mediated by Prostaglandin Receptor EP2. Am J Pathol. 2016 Apr;186(4):974-84 Authors: Merz C, von Mässenhausen A, Queisser A, Vogel W, Andrén O, Kirfel J, Duensing S, Perner S, Nowak M Abstract Prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in men and multiple risk factors and genetic alterations have been described. The TMPRSS2-ERG fusion event and the overexpression of the transcription factor ERG are present in approximately 50% of all prostate cancer patients, however, the clinical outcome is still controversial. Prostate tumors produce various soluble factors, including the pleiotropic cytokine IL-6, regulating cellular processes such as proliferation and metastatic segregation. Here, we used prostatectomy samples in a tissue microarray format and analyzed the co-expression and the clinicopathologic data of ERG and IL-6 using immunohistochemical double staining and correlated the read-out with clinicopathologic data. Expression of ERG and IL-6 correlated strongly in prostate tissue samples. Forced expression of ERG in prostate tumor cell lines resulted in significantly increased secretion of IL-6, whereas the down-regulation of ERG decreased IL-6 secretion. By dissecting the underlying mechanism in prostate tumor cell lines we show the ERG-mediated up-regulation of the prostanoid receptors EP2 and EP3. The prostanoid receptor EP2 was overexpressed in human prostate cancer tis...
Source: The American Journal of Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Am J Pathol Source Type: research