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Updated: Apr 19, 2026
Sequencing Small Non-coding RNA from Formalin-fixed Tissues and Serum-derived Exosomes from Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer Patients
Published on: November 19, 2019
Identification of DEK as a potential therapeutic target for neuroendocrine prostate cancer
Dong Lin1, Xin Dong2, Kendric Wang1
1Vancouver Prostate Centre & Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada.
Abstract:
Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive subtype of prostate cancer which does not respond to hormone therapy. Research of NEPC has been hampered by a lack of clinically relevant in vivo models. Recently, we developed a first-in-field patient tissue-derived xenograft model of complete neuroendocrine transdifferentiation of prostate adenocarcinoma. By comparing gene expression profiles of a transplantable adenocarcinoma line (LTL331) and its NEPC subline (LTL331R), we identified DEK as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for NEPC. In the present study, elevated DEK protein expression was observed in all NEPC xenograft models and clinical NEPC cases, as opposed to their benign counterparts (0%), hormonal naïve prostate cancer (2.45%) and castration-resistant prostate cancer (29.55%). Elevated DEK expression was found to be an independent clinical risk factor, associated with shorter disease-free survival of hormonal naïve prostate cancer patients. DEK silencing in PC-3 cells led to a marked reduction in cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion. The results suggest that DEK plays an important role in the progression of prostate cancer, especially to NEPC, and provides a potential biomarker to aid risk stratification of prostate cancer and a novel target for therapy of NEPC.
Insights
DEK protein shows elevated expression in neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), unlike other prostate cancer types. This finding suggests DEK as a potential biomarker for risk stratification and a therapeutic target for NEPC.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive subtype resistant to standard hormone therapy.
- Lack of effective in vivo models has hindered NEPC research.
- A novel patient-derived xenograft model of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) was recently developed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of DEK in prostate cancer progression, particularly to NEPC.
- To evaluate DEK as a potential biomarker for NEPC risk stratification.
- To explore DEK as a therapeutic target for NEPC.
Main Methods:
- Gene expression profiling of prostate adenocarcinoma and NEPC subline xenografts.
- Analysis of DEK protein expression in NEPC xenografts and clinical samples.
- Assessment of DEK's association with clinical risk factors and patient survival.
- In vitro studies involving DEK silencing in prostate cancer cells (PC-3).
Main Results:
- DEK protein expression is significantly elevated in all NEPC models and clinical cases, but not in benign or early-stage prostate cancers.
- Elevated DEK expression is an independent risk factor for shorter disease-free survival in prostate cancer patients.
- DEK silencing in PC-3 cells reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.
Conclusions:
- DEK plays a critical role in prostate cancer progression towards NEPC.
- DEK serves as a potential biomarker for prostate cancer risk stratification.
- DEK represents a promising therapeutic target for neuroendocrine prostate cancer.
