Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026

An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis
Published on: September 18, 2013
Bmi1 promotes prostate tumorigenesis via inhibiting p16(INK4A) and p14(ARF) expression
Catherine Fan1, Lizhi He, Anil Kapoor
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Abstract:
We report here that the polycomb group protein Bmi1 promotes prostate tumorigenesis. Bmi1 is detected at higher levels in androgen-independent PC3 and DU145 than in androgen-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer (CaP) cells. Ectopic Bmi1 enhanced the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and suppressed the exression of p16(INK4A) and p14(ARF) in CaP cells. Consistent with these observations, immunohistochemical staining of 51 cases of primary CaP specimens revealed 1.4 fold (p=0.014) and 1.3 fold (p=0.051) higher levels of Bmi1-positive cells in carcinoma compared to normal prostatic epithelial cells and PIN, respectively. In primary CaPs, Bmi1 expression was associated with a reduction in p16(INK4A) and p14(ARF). Furthermore, in comparison to empty vector-transfected cells, Bmi1-expressing DU145 cells formed significantly larger tumors in NOD/SCID mice. Taken together, we demonstrate that Bmi1 promotes prostate tumorigenesis.
Related Concept Videos
Abnormal Proliferation
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Inhibition of Cdk Activity
Negative Regulator Molecules
The Retinoblastoma Gene
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

