The Androgen Receptor Is Significantly Associated with Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Hypoxia Sensing via Hypoxia-Inducible Factors HIF-1a, HIF-2a, and the Prolyl Hydroxylases in Human Prostate Cancer
Purpose: Hypoxia regulates key biological processes including angiogenesis via the transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). In prostate cancer, angiogenesis is also influenced by androgens, and recent cell line studies suggest that this effect is partly mediated by HIF. The study aimed...
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Published in: | Clinical cancer research Vol. 11; no. 21; pp. 7658 - 7663 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
Format: | Journal Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Philadelphia, PA
American Association for Cancer Research
01-11-2005
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Purpose: Hypoxia regulates key biological processes including angiogenesis via the transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor
(HIF). In prostate cancer, angiogenesis is also influenced by androgens, and recent cell line studies suggest that this effect
is partly mediated by HIF. The study aimed to assess whether a relationship exists in human prostate cancer between expression
of the androgen receptor, HIFs, and the key angiogenesis factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Experimental Design: A tissue microarray comprised of 149 radical prostatectomy specimens was constructed. Semiquantitative immunohistochemical
analysis was used to assess the expression of the androgen receptor, VEGF and HIF-1a and 2a, and their regulatory prolyl hydroxylase
enzymes (PHD1, PHD2, and PHD3). Statistical analysis compared these factors with each other and with prostate-specific antigen
relapse.
Results: There was a significant correlation between HIF-1a and HIF-2a expression ( P = 0.02), and with androgen receptor ( P = 0.04 and P < 0.001, respectively) and VEGF expression ( P = 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). VEGF was also significantly related to the androgen receptor ( P = 0.05), whereas PHD2 was inversely related to HIF-2a expression. No significant association was shown between HIF-1a or
HIF-2a and time to prostate-specific antigen recurrence ( P = 0.20 and P = 0.94, respectively).
Conclusions: These findings confirm the relationship between hypoxia and the androgen receptor in prostate cancer, and show for the first
time, the role of HIF-2a in this disease process. They provide clinical evidence to support the recent cell line findings
that androgens may regulate VEGF levels through the activation of HIF in androgen-sensitive tumors. Inhibition of both the
HIF pathways may provide new therapeutic options in the management of this disease. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 1078-0432 1557-3265 |
DOI: | 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-05-0460 |