Quantification of expression of netrins, slits and their receptors in human prostate tumors

Recently, DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Cancer) protein has been forwarded as a receptor for netrin. The Netrin/DCC complex is critical for axon guidance and cell migration. In the developing nervous system, netrin protein secreted by midline cells attracts commissural axons by activating the DCC receptor on growth cones. This attraction can be switched to repulsion or silenced completely, depending on the DCC binding partner. The potential suppressor function of DCC in prostate tumorigenesis, through a still unknown mechanism, prompted us to quantify the expression of several genes involved in this axon guidance pathway. The relative expression levels of DCC, NEO1, NTN1, NTN2L, NTN4, UNC5C, Slit1, Slit2, Slit3, Robo1 and Robo2 were simultaneous quantified in 48 tumors and 7 normal prostate tissues by using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A reduction in DCC, NEO1, NTN1 and NTN4 expression was observed in prostate tumors, while many of the same prostate tumors over-expressed either Slit genes or their receptors, Robo.