Alternative splicing and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in prostate tumors

前列腺肿瘤中的选择性剪接和上皮间质可塑性

• 批准号: 8196869
• 负责人: Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco
• 金额: $ 31.4万
• 依托单位: DUKE UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-12-01 至 2013-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8196869
• 关键词: Alternative Splicing; American Cancer Society; Behavior; Cells; Data; Disease; Distant; Epithelial; Epithelial Cells; Exons; Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2; Gene Expression; Goals; Health; Human; Image; Malignant neoplasm of prostate; Mammals; Mesenchymal; Metastatic to; Molecular Profiling; Neoplasm Metastasis; New York; Outcome; Patients; Primary Neoplasm; Process; Property; Prostate; Prostate carcinoma; Prostatic Neoplasms; Protein Isoforms; RNA Splicing; Rattus; Regulation; Reporter; Reporting; Signal Transduction; System; Technology; Testing; Therapeutic; Time; Transcript; Tumor Markers; Vertebrates; Work; fitness; in vivo; killings; men; mouse model; neoplastic cell; novel; programs; therapeutic target; tumor; tumor progression; tumorigenesis

In epithelial cells alternative splicing of fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 (FGFR2) transcripts leads to the expression of the FGFR2(IIIb) isoform, whereas in mesenchymal cells the same process results in the synthesis of FGFR2(IIIc), which include exon IIIc. This regulated splicing is disrupted during progression of prostate carcinomas leading to the inappropriate expression of FGFR2 isoforms. To visualize the use of FGFR2 exon IIIc in Dunning AT3 tumors in syngeneic rats we constructed minigene constructs that report on alternative splicing. Imaging these alternative splicing decisions revealed unexpected mesenchymal-epithelial transitions (MET) in these primary tumors. The understanding of this epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity, revealed by differences in splicing, is the overarching goal of this application. To this end we propose to accomplish the following specific aims: Specific Aim 1. To characterize the connections between FGFR2 splicing and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in prostate tumors. We have developed a new bichromatic reporter that can be used to detect both MET and epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT). We have also extended our observations to well characterized human prostate tumor cells in culture. Work accomplished in this aim will test the hypothesis that epithelial plasticity is a general property of aggressive prostate carcinomas in humans. Specific Aim 2. To characterize the epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in primary prostate tumors revealed by alterations in splicing. In this aim we will characterize the molecular signatures and behavior of the MET clusters in primary tumors. Specific aim 3. To characterize the connections between epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and metastatic behavior. We will investigate the connections between epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and metastatic behavior. Finally, we will isolate circulating prostate tumor cells from both the AT3 rat tumors and patients, and we will determine their FGFR2 splicing status and their epithelial state. Work accomplished in aim two and in this aim will test the hypothesis that epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity leads to increased tumor fitness. The significance of this work is twofold: First we will unravel basic information about gene expression programs controlled by alternative splicing during prostate tumor progression. Second, the potential significance to human health is underscored by the magnitude of prostate cancer as a health problem. Identifying the tumors/cells that will progress to metastatic disease is a challenge and a priority. The work proposed here should identify useful markers and perhaps even therapeutic targets.

在上皮细胞中，成纤维细胞生长因子受体2 （FGFR2）转录物的选择性剪接