ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A major focus of prostate cancer research has been to identify genes that are deregulated during tumor progression, potentially providing diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. METHODS: We have employed serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) and microarray hybridization to identify alterations that occur during malignant transformation in the Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) model. Many of these alterations were validated by real-time PCR (rtPCR). RESULTS: We identified several hundred mRNAs that were deregulated. Cluster analysis of microarray profiles with samples from various stages of the disease demonstrated that androgen-independent (AI) primary tumors are similar to metastases; 180 transcripts have expression patterns suggesting an involvement in the genesis of late-stage tumors, and our data support a role for phospholipase A2 group IIA in the acquisition of their highly aggressive characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses identified well-characterized genes that were previously known to be involved in prostate cancer, validating our study, and also uncovered transcripts that had not previously been implicated in prostate cancer progression.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/genetics , Androgens/genetics , Disease Models, Animal , Gene Expression Profiling , Genes, Neoplasm/physiology , Genetic Engineering/methods , Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis , Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics , Adenocarcinoma/metabolism , Androgens/metabolism , Animals , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/physiology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Inbred DBA , Mice, Transgenic , Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism , Species SpecificityABSTRACT
Anti-angiogenic strategies have largely focused on endothelial cells and progenitors. However, pericytes are also an important component of vasculature. Perivascular cells from normal tissues have been widely reported, yet have not been extensively studied from human tumors. We have investigated pericytes from tumors of patients with lung cancer, the leader of cancer-related deaths in both men and women. Antibodies and magnetic beads were used to isolate cells from non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). The morphology of the pericytes was distinct with multiple elongated cytoplasmic extensions. Molecular expression of angiogenic genes was quantified by RT-PCR. Flow cytometric analysis shows that NSCLC pericytes express antigens such NG2 and VEGFR1 and present the ganglioside 3G5. The value of pericytes as models of tumor vasculature was demonstrated in cell-culture-based angiogenesis assays such as tube formation and proliferation. Results show that pericytes from some NSCLC but not all were able to maintain tubes networks on Matrigel. Pericyte function can be influenced by angiogenic growth factors or anti-angiogenic agents. Pericytes displayed invasive action against NSCLC clusters in the absence of other cell types. Perivascular cells contribute to the progression of disease and are an attractive target for anti-angiogenic therapy.
