Placental bone morphogenetic protein (PLAB) gene expression in normal, pre-malignant and malignant human prostate: relation to tumor development and progression.
The second most common target of prostate-cancer metastasis is bone, and the phenomenon of skeletal metastasis represents the incurable stage of disease. Histologically, skeletal metastasis from prostate cancer is distinctive due to its osteoblastic nature. The osteoblastic bone metastasis shows extensive new bone formation, with possible involvement of the soluble growth factors secreted by tumor cells, such as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). In the present study, we analyzed the gene expression of one of the new members of the BMP family, placental bone morphogenetic protein (PLAB). In situ hybridization studies showed high levels of this gene in normal prostate. However, the gene is down-regulated during the progression of cancer at the primary site. The most significant finding was re-expression of the PLAB gene in osseous metastatic lesions. Our results demonstrate that tumor cells, when released from the primary site and after re-growth elsewhere, are capable of re-expressing specific genes that may play a different role at metastatic sites than at the primary site.
Thomas
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Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Regit@u.washington.edu
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D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger