Analyzing the mutational landscape of prostate cancer susceptibility genes through next-generation sequencing (NGS)

Prostate cancer is characterized by diverse genetic mutations that influence disease progression and treatment response. This study was launched to explore the genetic basis of prostate cancer patients.

We employed Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to analyze 14 cancer-susceptible genes in prostate cancer patients.

Our study identified genetic mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, TP53, and PMS2. In BRCA1 gene, we identified two pathogenic mutations, c.181T>G (p.Cys61Gly) and c.2457delC (p.Ala819fs), found in 10 patients, along with three benign mutations, c.5357T>G (p.Leu1786Arg), c.1111T>C (p.Leu371Pro), and c.1201C>G (p.Thr401Arg), present in 13, 11, and 15 patients, respectively. For the BRCA2 gene, one pathogenic mutation, c.6275_6276del (p.Val2092fs), was detected in 10 patients, and four benign mutations, c.5347A>T (p.Met1783Leu), c.5198A>G (p.Asp1733Gly), c.5158A>G (p.Thr1720Ala), and c.5117G>C (p.Gly1706Ala), were found in 17, 21, 34, and 12 patients, respectively. In the TP53 gene, we found two pathogenic mutations, c.1014_1015insT (p.Glu339Ter) and c.916C>T (p.Arg306Ter), in 10 and 11 patients, respectively, and two benign mutations, c.311T>C (p.Ser104Pro) and c.1129C>T (p.Arg377Cys), in 8 and 9 patients, respectively. Lastly, the PMS2 gene exhibited 16 benign mutations. Notably, the detected pathogenic mutations are rare in the broader Asian population according to the gnomAD database. Functional analyses using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry showed decreased expression of BRCA1, BRCA2, and TP53 in samples with pathogenic mutations, corroborating their impact on tumor suppressor function. Furthermore, drug sensitivity analysis revealed that BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are associated with increased sensitivity to a range of chemotherapeutic agents, supporting the concept of synthetic lethality. However, TP53 did not significantly impact drug sensitivity.

This comprehensive analysis emphasizes the critical roles of BRCA1, BRCA2, TP53, and PMS2 in prostate cancer pathogenesis and highlights the importance of population-specific genetic screening.