Loss of expression of bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II in human prostate cancer cells

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily and signal through a number of membrane receptors. We have previously demonstrated that the loss of expression of BMP receptors (BMPRs) type IA, -IB, and -II (BMP-RIA, -RIB, and -RII) correlates with Gleason score in prostate cancer patients. To evaluate the prognostic value of this observation, we used immunohistochemistry to investigate the expression of BMPRs in association with disease progression in 60 patients. The results demonstrated a significant association between the loss of expression of the three BMPRs and Gleason score and clinical stage. However, only the loss of expression of BMP-RII showed a statistically significant association with 5-year survival rate (P<0.05) and biochemical recurrence-free rate following radical prostatectomy (P<0.005). To elucidate the effect of an abnormal BMP signaling in prostate cancer cells, we transfected dominant-negative BMP-RII (BMP-RIIDN) into the human prostate cancer cell line, PC3M. When a stable clone overexpressing BMP-RIIDN was inoculated subcutaneously into nude mice, the tumor growth rate was approximately 10 times that of control and parental cell line. These observations, taken together, indicate that the loss of BMP-RII expression as measured by immunohistochemistry may be a prognostic marker in prostate cancer patients, and that the loss of BMP-RII function may result in increased tumorigenicity in human prostate cancer cells.