[Frequency and transcript variant analysis of gene fusions between TMPRSS2 and ETS transcription factor genes in prostate cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequencies and types of fusions between the transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), ETS-related gene (ERG), ETS variant-1 (ETV1), and ETS variant-4 (ETV4) genes in prostate cancer (PCa) and significance thereof.


METHODS
Biopsy samples of prostate were obtained under transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) from 32 PCa patients, aged (74 +/- 8) and 34 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Nested RT-PCR and direct DNA sequencing were used to detect the fusion genes of TMPRSS2/ERG, TMPRSS2/ETV1, and TMPRSS2/ETV4. The association between the fusion-positive tumor rate and Gleason grading was analyzed.


RESULTS
Of the 32 PCa patients, TMPRSS2/ERG fusion was detected in 17 cases (53.1%), including 5 variant fusion transcripts one of which was newly discovered with the GenBank accession number of EU090248. TMPRSS2/ETV1 fusion was detected in only 2 cases (6.3%), including one newly discovered variant fusion transcripts with the GenBank accession number of EU090249. TMPRSS2/ETV4 fusion was not detected. The positive rates of TMPRSS2/ERG and TMPRSS2/ETV1 fusions showed no statistical association with the Gleason grade (P = 0.169). No fusion between the TMPRSS2 and ETS transcription factor genes was detected in the 34 BPH samples.


CONCLUSIONS
TMPRSS2/ERG and TMPRS22/ETV1 fusion genes with different subtypes exist in the tissues of PCa. TMPRSS2/ERG and TMPRSS2/ETV1 fusion genes may be used as diagnostic tools for PCa.
Dai
Mei-Jie
MJ
Center for Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325000, China.
Chen
Li-Li
LL
Zheng
Yan-Bo
YB
Chen
Wei
W
Tao
Zhi-Hua
ZH
Weng
Zhi-Liang
ZL
Wu
Xiu-Ling
XL
Li
Cheng-Di
CD
Chen
Zhan-Guo
ZG
Chen
Xiao-Dong
XD
Shi
Shao-Bo
SB
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050596:Oncogene Fusion; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C421305:TMPRSS2 protein, human