title: TMPRSS2-ERG expression predicts prostate cancer survival and associates with stromal biomarkers.
abstract: The TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is found in approximately half of all prostate cancers. The functional and prognostic significance of TMPRSS2-ERG is, however, not fully understood. Based on a historical watchful waiting cohort, an association between TMPRSS2-ERG, evaluated as positive immune staining, and shorter survival of prostate cancer patients was identified. Expression of ERG was also associated with clinical markers such as advanced tumor stage, high Gleason score, presence of metastasis and prognostic tumor cell markers such as high Ki67, pEGFR and pAkt. Novel associations between TMPRSS2-ERG and alterations in the tumor stroma, for example, increased vascular density, hyaluronan and PDGFRβ and decreased Caveolin-1, all known to be associated with an aggressive disease, were found. The present study suggests that the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion gene is associated with a more aggressive prostate cancer phenotype, supported by changes in the tumor stroma.
authors: Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Hägglöf
authors: Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Hammarsten
authors: Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors: Kerstin
authors: K
authors: Strömvall
authors: Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Egevad
authors: Department of Urology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Josefsson
authors: Departments of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors: Pär
authors: P
authors: Stattin
authors: Department of Urology, Västerås Central Hospital, Västerås, Sweden.
authors: Torvald
authors: T
authors: Granfors
authors: Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Bergh
mesh_terms: D051242:Caveolin 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: C495540:CAV1 protein, human; D051242:Caveolin 1; C497325:EGR1 protein, human; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C421305:TMPRSS2 protein, human