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The impact of altered annexin I protein levels on apoptosis and signal transduction pathways in prostate cancer cells.

Hsiang CH, Tunoda T, Whang YE, Tyson DR, Ornstein DK

Department of Urology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.

BACKGROUND: Although reduced expression levels of annexin I (ANX I) protein is a common finding in all stages of prostate cancer a causative relationship between ANX I dysregulation and prostate cancer development has yet to be established. METHODS: Annexin I expression was restored in LNCaP and MDA PCa 2b that normally express low or undetectable levels of ANX I protein. The impact of restoring ANX I expression on cell viability, colony formation in soft agar, apoptosis, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) activation was examined. RESULTS: Restoring ANX I expression reduced cell viability, colony formation, in addition to inducing apoptosis. The proliferative response of epidermal growth factor was blocked by restoring ANX I expression. Furthermore, increasing basal and induced levels of phosphorylated p38 and JNK were observed in prostate cancer cells following restoration of ANX I expression. CONCLUSIONS: Annexin I may have tumor suppressor functions in prostate cancer. The pro-apoptotic effect of ANX I involves the activation of p38 and JNK, which appears to shift the balance of signal transduction away from proliferation and toward apoptosis.

Published 4 September 2006 in Prostate, 66(13): 1413-24.
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