Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Virus Delivery of CRISPR Guides to the Murine Prostate for Gene Alteration
06:21

Virus Delivery of CRISPR Guides to the Murine Prostate for Gene Alteration

Published on: April 27, 2018

Somatic single hits inactivate the X-linked tumor suppressor FOXP3 in the prostate

Lizhong Wang1, Runhua Liu, Weiquan Li

  • 1Division of Immunotherapy, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine and Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Cancer Cell
|October 6, 2009
PubMed

Insights

The FOXP3 gene on the X chromosome acts as a prostate tumor suppressor. Inactivating mutations in FOXP3 drive prostate cancer by allowing the oncogene cMYC to overexpress.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Prostate cancer genetics research has primarily focused on autosomal genes.
  • Epidemiological and genetic data suggest a role for X-linked factors in prostate cancer risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of X-linked genes in prostate cancer.
  • To identify specific X-linked genes involved in prostate tumorigenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of somatic mutations and deletions in the X-linked FOXP3 gene in human prostate cancer tissues.
  • Lineage-specific ablation of FoxP3 in mouse prostate epithelial cells.
  • Investigation of FOXP3's transcriptional regulation of cMYC.

Main Results:

  • Somatic inactivating mutations and deletion of the X-linked FOXP3 gene were identified in human prostate cancer.
  • FoxP3 ablation in mouse prostate epithelial cells induced hyperplasia and intraepithelial neoplasia.
  • FOXP3 was found to be necessary and sufficient to repress cMYC expression.

Conclusions:

  • FOXP3 functions as an X-linked prostate tumor suppressor in males.
  • Inactivation of FOXP3 contributes to prostate carcinogenesis through the dysregulation of cMYC.
  • This study presents a paradigm of single genetic hit inactivation in X-linked carcinogenesis.

More Related Videos

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration08:49

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Published on: May 11, 2016

An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis06:48

An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis

Published on: September 18, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions01:12

Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions01:12

Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
X-Inactivation01:58

X-Inactivation

The human X chromosome contains over ten times the number of genes as in the Y chromosome. Since males have only one X chromosome, and females have two, one might expect females to produce twice as many of the proteins, with undesirable results.
X-inactivation01:58

X-inactivation

The human X chromosome contains over ten times the number of genes as in the Y chromosome. Since males have only one X chromosome, and females have two, one might expect females to produce twice as many of the proteins, with undesirable results.