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Isolation of Cancer Stem Cells From Human Prostate Cancer Samples
07:16

Isolation of Cancer Stem Cells From Human Prostate Cancer Samples

Published on: March 14, 2014

14.5K

Development of human prostate cancer stem cells involves epigenomic alteration and PI3K/AKT pathway activation

Jingjing Wu1, Shundong Cang2, Christina Liu3

  • 1Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province China.

Experimental Hematology & Oncology
|June 16, 2020
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Phenethyl isothiocynate (PEITC) induces prostate cancer stem cells by altering histone acetylation and activating the PI3K/AKT pathway. This epigenetic regulation is key to cancer stem cell development.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Prostate cancer stem cells (CSCs) with self-renewal and androgen-independent growth properties were generated from LNCaP cells using phenethyl isothiocynate (PEITC).
  • The underlying signaling pathways and mechanisms driving CSC development in these spheres remain largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the phosphoinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway and histone acetylation in the development of prostate CSCs induced by PEITC.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which PEITC promotes the stem cell characteristics in prostate cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Western immunoblotting was employed to quantify the expression levels of PI3K pathway components.
  • Histone acetylation levels were assessed in both the generated tumor spheres and parental LNCaP cells.

Main Results:

  • Sphere stem cells exhibited a significant 7.4-fold increase in phosphorylated AKT levels compared to LNCaP cells.
  • Elevated levels of P27 (5.4-fold increase) were observed in sphere stem cells.
  • A decrease in histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation was noted in the tumor spheres.

Conclusions:

  • PEITC treatment appears to modulate the epigenome via histone acetylation, subsequently activating the PI3K/AKT pathway in LNCaP cells.
  • This epigenetic and signaling pathway activation is implicated as a contributing mechanism in the development of prostate cancer stem cells.
Keywords:
AKTCancer stem cellsHistone acetylationPI3KProstate cancerSphere

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