Identifying the Key Molecular Drivers of Prostate Cancer Cell Migration and Metastasis

Calum Turpie*, Paul J Dunn, Catherine McDermott, Joan Rohl

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to conferencePosterResearch

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of male cancer-related deaths in Australia. This high mortality risk has been increasingly linked to metastatic disease status. However, the specific molecular factors that drive tumour cell migration, and thus the metastatic potential of prostate cancer cells, remain poorly understood.

METHODS
Minimally (LNCaP) and highly (PC3) metastatic prostate cancer cell lines with varying levels of tumorigenicity and androgen sensitivity were assessed for cell motility markers. This was completed through differential gene expression analysis of n=84 cell motility genes in the highly vs. minimally metastatic models performed in triplicate.

RESULTS
The genes with the highest fold-change expression (p<0.001) in the highly metastatic prostate cancer model compared to the minimally metastatic model were CAV1, FGF2, ITGB2, MET, MMP14, PLD1, RAC2, RND3, TGFB1 and VIM. On the other hand, expression of IGF1, PTEN, and STAT3 was lost in the highly metastatic model compared to the minimally metastatic model. Interestingly, MMP14 or Matrix Metalloproteinase-14, a zinc-dependent protease that plays a major role in the remodelling and breakdown of the extracellular matrix, had a higher gene expression than other proteases (MMP2, MMP9) in both the highly and minimally metastatic models, suggesting it has a significant involvement in prostate cancer cell migration.

CONCLUSION
Developing our understanding of cell motility gene expression in prostate cancer metastasis has the potential to contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of prostate cancer progression, influencing the development of targets for treatment and markers for diagnosis and prognosis in prostate cancer.
Original languageEnglish
Pages1-2
Number of pages2
Publication statusUnpublished - 27 Sept 2024
Event2024 ASMR Queensland Postgraduate and ECR Conference - Translational Research Institute, Australia
Duration: 27 Sept 202427 Sept 2024
https://asmr.org.au/qld/
https://asmr.org.au/qld/postgraduate-and-ecr-conference-speakers/

Conference

Conference2024 ASMR Queensland Postgraduate and ECR Conference
Country/TerritoryAustralia
Period27/09/2427/09/24
Internet address

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