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Fusion in the ETS gene family and prostate cancer

S A Narod1, A Seth, R Nam

  • 1Department of Medicine, Womens College Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. steven.narod@wchospital.ca

British Journal of Cancer
|September 11, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Most prostate cancers have a TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion, a common alteration in solid tumors. Further research is needed to understand how these gene fusions impact prostate cancer progression and patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The majority of prostate cancers exhibit a chromosomal rearrangement fusing the TMPRSS2 gene with an ETS family transcription factor, commonly ERG.
  • These gene fusions represent some of the most frequent genetic alterations observed in human solid tumors.
  • Understanding these alterations offers insights into prostate carcinogenesis and potential molecular biomarkers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusions in prostate cancer.
  • To explore the potential of these fusions as biomarkers for localized prostate cancer.
  • To understand the impact of various fusion variants on prostate cancer histology and clinical course.

Main Methods:

  • Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
  • Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  • Expression profiling using exon arrays.

Main Results:

  • Over 20 different fusion variants involving more than 10 genes have been identified, with TMPRSS2:ERG being the most common.
  • Early studies indicate that the presence of the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion is associated with poorer cancer-specific survival.
  • Protein products and phenotypic expressions of these gene fusions remain largely uncharacterized.

Conclusions:

  • TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusions are prevalent in prostate cancer and may serve as crucial biomarkers.
  • Further studies are required to elucidate the specific effects of individual fusion variants on prostate cancer presentation and progression.
  • Characterizing the protein products and phenotypic consequences of these fusions is essential for clinical application.

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