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Short Communication |




From the Departments of Histopathology,*
Surgery,
and
Oncology,
Imperial College School of
Medicine, Hammersmith Campus, London, United Kingdom
| Abstract |
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| Introduction |
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The androgen-sensitive human CaP cell line LNCaP20 has been used to study the control of androgen-responsive genes.21-24 A clonal variant, LNCaP-r,25 exhibits androgen insensitivity while expressing AR levels similar to those of LNCaP.26,27
Our objective was to use the LNCaP/LNCaP-r in vitro CaP model reflecting the in vivo situation of CaP progression from the AS to the AI state and to identify candidate genes that were differentially expressed. We have identified three genes, fibronectin (FN), breast basic conserved gene-1 (BBC1), and ubiquitin enzyme variant-1 (UEV-1), which have not previously been reported to be associated with the development of AI CaP. These three genes map to 2q, 16q, and 20q, chromosomal regions known to be altered in advanced CaP.
| Materials and Methods |
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The prostate carcinoma cell lines LNCaP, PC-3, and DU-145 were purchased from the American Type Culture Collection (Manassas, VA). LNCaP-r25 was a gift from Dr. van Steenbrugge (Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands). The SV40 immortalized primary prostatic epithelial cell lines PNT1A, PNT1B, PNT2, and PSVF1 were a gift from Professor N. Maitland (York University, York, UK). All cell lines were maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium without phenol red supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and cultured to 95% confluence for RNA and DNA extraction.
Isolation of DNA and Arbitrarily Primed-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Genomic DNA was isolated from all cell lines using a standard
proteinase K procedure28
and used as a template for
arbitrarily primed-PCR.29
Amplification mixtures consisted
of 50 ng DNA, 10 mmol/L Tris-Cl (pH 9.0), 50 mmol/L KCl, 0.01% gelatin
(w/v), 1.5 mmol/L MgCl2, 200 µmol/L dNTPs, 1.5
U Taq polymerase (Promega, Madison, WI) and 0.2
µmol/L of either arbitrary primer BS57 or BS58 (Table 1)
in a total volume of 25 µl. Thermal
cycling conditions consisted of 1 minute at 94.5°C, 1 minute at
40°C, and 1 minute at 72°C for 45 cycles with a final extension at
72°C for 10 minutes. Amplified products were analyzed on a 2%
agarose gel and visualized with ethidium bromide (0.5 µg/ml).
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Total RNA was isolated from both LNCaP-r and LNCaP cells by the RNAzol B method (Biogenesis, Friendswood, TX) as previously described.30 Poly(A)+ RNA was purified from total RNA using the Oligotex Direct mRNA purification procedure (Qiagen Ltd., Crawley, UK). Double-stranded cDNA was synthesized from 2 µg of poly(A)+ RNA as previously described,31 except that no tracer reaction was used and the samples were incubated at 16°C for 2 hours, followed by a further 30 minutes after the addition of T4 polymerase.
Generation of Subtracted Libraries for both LNCaP-r and LNCaP by Subtractive Suppression Hybridization (SSH)
SSH was performed as previously described31,32
using
the PCR-Select Subtraction protocol (Clontech, Palo Alto, CA)
according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Differentially
expressed genes were amplified from the subtracted cDNA using a nested
PCR protocol (PCR-Select Subtraction).32
Nested primers
(NP1 and NP2R, Table 1
) specific to adapters ligated only to the tester
cDNA were used to amplify differentially expressed sequences. Thermal
cycling conditions were 94°C for 10 seconds, 68°C for 30 seconds,
and 72°C for 1.5 minutes for 30 cycles (initial PCR) and 12 cycles
(nested PCR). One-third of the subtracted and unsubtracted products
were separated on a 1.5% agarose gel.
Evaluation of Subtraction Efficiency
Subtraction efficiency was determined by the PCR analysis of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) expression in subtracted and unsubtracted cDNA libraries of both LNCaP-r and LNCaP cell lines as described in the PCR-Select Subtraction protocol (Clontech).
Cloning and Colony PCR
Each positively subtracted cDNA library (LNCaP-r and LNCaP) was
ligated into the pT-Advantage vector, a TA cloning system, and
transformed into TOP10F' super competent cells (Clontech). Aliquots
(100 µl) of Lauria Bertani media supplemented with ampicillin
(50 µg/ml) were inoculated with positive colonies and incubated
overnight at 37°C. Plasmids containing cloned sequences from each
subtracted library were identified using a colony PCR protocol based on
the PCR-Select Differential Screening protocol
(Clontech).31
Briefly, inserts were amplified from each
clone, 1x AmpliTaq Gold PCR buffer (10 mmol/L Tris (pH 9.0), 50 mmol/L
KCl, 0.01% gelatin, 0.1% Triton X-100; Perkin Elmer, Foster City,
CA), 1.5 mmol/L MgCl2, 500 mmol/L, 200
µmol/L dNTPs, 0.3 µmol/L each nested primer (NP1 and NP2R) (Table 1)
and 2.5U AmpliTaq Gold polymerase (Perkin Elmer) in a final volume
of 20 µl. Thermal cycling was performed at 95°C for 10 minutes
(x1), 94°C for 1 minute and 68°C for 3 minutes (x27 cycles). PCR
products (5 µl) were separated on a 1.5% agarose gel.
Dot Blots of Positive Colony PCR Products
Each positive colony PCR product was denatured in an equal volume (10 µl) of 0.6 M NaOH and 0.5% bromophenol blue and 1 µl dot-blotted onto a nylon membrane (GeneScreen Plus, DuPont, NEN Research Products, Boston, MA). Two Clontech control cDNAs were used, C1 (340 bp) and C2 (200 bp), corresponding to a human homologue of the mouse testis specific protein (GenBank accession number X52128) and human seminal vesicle-specific semenogelin II mRNA (GenBank accession number M91652). Membranes were prepared in quadruplicate, soaked in 0.5 mol/L Tris (pH 7.4) for >5 minutes, washed with water, and UV cross-linked (120 mJ) in a Stratalinker (Stratagene).
Reverse RNA Dot Blot Analysis and Sequencing Positive Clones
Probes for both subtracted and unsubtracted libraries from both
LNCaP-r and LNCaP cell lines were prepared as described in the
PCR-Select Differential Screening protocol (Clontech). RNA dot blot
membranes were prehybridized in Express Hybridization solution
(Clontech) supplemented with 0.2x SSC, 0.01 volume of blocking
solution (100 µg/ml denatured sheared salmon sperm DNA and 3 µg/ml
primers NP1 and NP2R) (Table 1)
at 72°C for >60 minutes. Probes were
labeled by random priming with 32P-dCTP, heat
denatured, mixed with SSC and blocking solution (50 µl 20x SSC and
50 µl blocking solution), added to the membranes, and allowed to
hybridize at 72°C overnight. Membranes were washed at 68°C four
times (20 minutes each) with 100 ml of low-stringency (2x SSC and
0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)) washing solution followed by twice
(20 minutes each) with high-stringency (0.2x SSC and 0.5% SDS)
washing solution. Membranes were exposed to X-ray film from 1 to 12
hours at -70°C with intensifying screens.
Plasmid DNA was extracted from positive clones, identified by reverse RNA dot blot analysis using the Qiagen MiniPrep purification procedure, and then sequenced using an ABI 377 automatic sequencer (Perkin-Elmer). Sequences were compared with the GenBank, EMBL, dbEST, and THC databases using a BLAST search.
Northern Blot Analysis
Total RNA (30 µg/lane) was separated by denaturing
(formaldehyde) gel eletrophoresis, transferred to GeneScreen Plus
membranes, and hybridized with 32P-labeled probes
of either an EcoRI fragment of DNA from a positive clone or
a 0.8-kb EcoRI/HindIII fragment of GAPDH.
Membranes were prehybridized for
1 hour and hybridized for
12 hours
in a buffer containing 2x SSC, 50% v/v formamide, 10% dextran
sulfate, 0.1% SDS, and 100 µg/ml denatured sheared salmon sperm DNA
at 42°C. Posthybridization washes consisted of 2x SSC for 10 minutes
at room temperature, followed by 1 or 2 washes with 2x SSC and 1% SDS
for 20 minutes at 65°C. In some cases in which higher stringency was
required, two extra washes were performed with 0.2x SSC and 1% SDS
for 1 hour at 65°C. Membranes were then exposed to film for
17 days at -70°C with intensifying screens and the resultant
autoradiograms were analyzed on a Molecular Dynamics densitometer
with Image Quant software.
Semiquantitative Reverse Transcriptase (SQRT)-PCR
Oligo dT1218-primed cDNA was synthesized from total RNA as previously described30 and stored at -20°C until use. Aliquots of the cDNA were used for PCR amplification of either the 1.3-kb of the AR-3' untranslated region or the 483-bp of GAPDH as previously described for 30 and 25 cycles, respectively.30 All cDNAs were normalized to give the same relative expression of GAPDH before they were used to determine the relative expression of other genes of interest.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) PCR consisted of 1x AmpliTaq Gold PCR
buffer (10 mmol/L Tris (pH 9.0), 50 mmol/L KCl, 0.01% gelatin, 0.1%
Triton X-100; Perkin Elmer), 1.5 mmol/L MgCl2,
500 mmol/L, 200 µmol/L dNTPs, 0.2 µmol/L each primer (PSA3 and
PSA5; Table 1
) and 2.5 U AmpliTaq Gold polymerase (Perkin Elmer) in a
final volume of 25 µl. A hot start, touch down thermal protocol was
used consisting of 1 cycle for 10 minutes at 95°C, 2 cycles for 1
minute at 95°C, 1 minute at 61°C, 2 minutes at 72°C, followed by
a decrease in annealing temperature of 2°C every 2 cycles until
55°C, then continued for a further 27 cycles. Fibronectin
(FN), basic breast conserved gene
(BBC1), and ubiquitin enzyme variant
(UEV-1) were amplified using the same reaction
conditions as used for the PSA PCR; the primers for each gene are
listed in Table 1
. Thermal cycling for these genes consisted of a hot
start protocol, 1 cycle at 95°C for 10 minutes, followed by 2535
cycles at 95°C for 1 minute, 5560°C for 1 minute, and 72°C for
2 minutes, with a final extension at 72°C for 5 minutes.
PCR products were separated on a 2% agarose gel and visualized by staining with ethidium bromide (0.5 µg/ml). To verify PCR products, bands migrating at the predicted sizes were gel-purified using the Hybaid II gel purification system (Hybaid, Ashford, UK) and sequenced on an ABI 377.
| Results |
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LNCaP and LNCaP-r cell lines express the full length AR message,
although the expression is detectably higher in LNCaP than LNCaP-r as
determined by SQRT-PCR normalized for GAPDH expression (Figure 1)
. PSA expression, an androgen
responsive gene, is approximately threefold lower in LNCaP-r compared
to the LNCaP cell line (Figure 1)
. In PC-3, DU-145, and all of the
immortalized epithelial prostatic cell lines, AR and PSA
expression were undetectable using these PCR conditions (Figure 1)
.
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Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes by SSH
There are clear differences between the subtracted and
unsubtracted cDNA libraries (Figure 2A)
.
The observable PCR products in the LNCaP and LNCaP-r subtracted
libraries ranged between 0.30.7 kb and 0.31.3 kb, respectively
(Figure 2A)
.
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GAPDH is a nondifferentially expressed gene. Using a RT-PCR assay its level of expression in LNCaP/LNCaP-r libraries was used to determine the SSH subtraction efficiency. Its expression in both LNCaP and LNCaP-r subtracted libraries was detectable only after 33 cycles of PCR, whereas in the unsubtracted libraries higher levels were detected after only 18 cycles (data not shown).
Cloning and Colony PCR
A total of 140 colonies were isolated from both LNCaP-r and LNCaP
subtracted libraries cloned into the pT-Advantage vector. The average
insert size, as determined by colony PCR, was 300 bp (Figure 2B)
.
Positive colony PCR products 59 and 28 from LNCaP and LNCaP-r
subtracted libraries, respectively, were isolated for reverse Northern
analysis.
Reverse RNA Dot Blot Analysis
Quadruplicate filters containing LNCaP selected (49L) and LNCaP-r
selected (17R) sequences were probed with either LNCaP or LNCaP-r
subtracted libraries (Figure 2C)
and the unsubtracted LNCaP and LNCaP-r
cDNA libraries (data not shown). After 4 hours' exposure at -70°C,
49L and 17R were clearly visible on both blots (Figure 2C)
. A total of
14 LNCaP-positive and 7 LNCaP-r-positive clones (ie, differentially
expressed) were isolated on the basis of the reverse RNA dot blot
analysis. Positive clones represented approximately 30% of the colony
PCR products and the remainder were species common to both the tester
and driver cDNA populations. The selective nature of these blots was
confirmed by the low background of the filters and by the lack of
detection of two negative control cDNAs (C1 and C2) included on each
filter (Figure 2C)
even after 12 hours' exposure (data not shown).
Northern Blot Analysis
To verify differential expression of clones identified by reverse
RNA dot blot analysis, EcoRI-excised inserts were labeled
and used to probe total RNA from LNCaP and LNCaP-r cells (Table 2
and Figure 3A
). The expression levels of the
differentially expressed genes between the two cell lines ranged from
>6000% (17R) to only 6% (13L) (Table 2
and Figure 3A
). The
detected transcript sizes are shown in Figure 3A
and the expected
transcript sizes based on sequence homology for each clone are listed
in Table 2
. The levels of differential gene expression determined by
the inserts from clones 79L and 13L encoding Histone H1.2 and the
transcription factor TAFII30, respectively, were
below 10%, interpreted as within the range of experimental error. The
lowest detectable change in expression, a 25% increase (LNCaP >
LNCaP-r) using the insert from clone 85L, corresponded to a human
proteasome subunit HsC10-II, which plays a role in the nonlysosomal
pathways of protein turnover (Table 2
and Figure 3A
).
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Fibronectin (Clone 17R)
There was a >60-fold increase in FN expression in
LNCaP-r compared to LNCaP by Northern blotting (Figure 3A)
,
verified by SQRT-PCR using two sets of primers spanning nucleotides
33233690 (Figure 3B)
and the FN IIICS region (data not
shown). The hormone-insensitive cell lines PC-3 and DU-145 were also
analyzed and abundant expression of FN was detected in the
PC-3 cell line but there was no detectable FN in DU-145
(Figure 3B)
. The SV40 immortalized cell lines PSVF1 and PNT2 expressed
FN at levels comparable to those found in PC-3 and LNCaP-r,
although lower FN levels were observed in PNT1A and PNT1B
cells (Figure 3B)
.
UEV-1 (Clone 12L)
A threefold difference in expression, LNCaP > LNCaP-r, was
demonstrated by Northern analysis using the insert from clone 12L
(Figure 3A)
, which maps to nucleotides 20662436 in the 3'UTR of
UEV-1.33
Published primer sequences were used
to determine which of the four known splice variants is responsible for
this differential gene expression.33
Differential
expression (LNCaP > LNCaP-r) was verified with primers
specific for splice variants 1A/1As (Figure 3B)
and not with primers
for 1B/1Bs variants (data not shown). Expression was highest in PC-3,
moderate in LNCaP, DU-145, PNT1A, and PNT1B, lower in LNCaP-r, and
undetectable in PSVF1 and PNT2 (Figure 3B)
. Expression of
UEV-1A does not appear to correlate with either AR or PSA
gene expression in these cell lines.
BBC1 (Clone 28R)
The insert of clone 28R mapped to the 3' coding region
(nucleotides 410709) of the 1.3-kb BBC1,34
which shares homology with multiple ESTs of unknown function. Northern
analysis using the EcoRI fragment from clone 28R revealed a
twofold increase in expression (LNCaP-r > LNCaP) of a 0.5-kb gene
(Figure 3A)
. SQRT-PCR analysis with BBC1-specific
primers35
indicated that BBC1 (full coding
sequence) was down-regulated in LNCaP compared with LNCaP-r (Figure 3B)
, in contrast to the Northern blotting data (Figure 3B)
, suggesting
that the differential expression identified by SSH is due to the
expression of one or more BBC1-like sequences. However,
BBC1 expression in PC-3, DU-145, and the SV40 immortalized
cell lines was detectable only in PNT1A cells (Figure 3B)
.
PM5 (Clone 49L)
PM5 expression was 68% higher in LNCaP than LNCaP-r
cells, as determined by Northern blot analysis, a difference that is
difficult to verify by PCR (Figure 3B
, lanes 16). Its levels varied
in the other cell lines examined (Figure 3B)
. The PM5
profile in the SV40 immortalized cells correlates directly with
UEV-1A and inversely with FN expression.
| Discussion |
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We have demonstrated that LNCaP-r cells express AR mRNA at levels similar to those found in LNCaP, but the expression of PSA is dramatically reduced in the former. LNCaP-r cell growth is independent of steroids and not stimulated by the synthetic androgen R1881.26 Therefore, genes differentially expressed between these two CaP cell lines are potentially representative of genes expressed in vivo in hormone refractory tumors which express functional AR but are not androgen-sensitive.7,37-39
FN-integrin interactions are important in tumor migration, invasion, and metastasis. Peptide and antibody inhibitors of FN and integrin interactions are effective inhibitors of metastasis40 and reduced cellular expression of FN is associated with carcinogenesis in some cancers, such as colorectal and breast tumors.41 In contrast, levels of FN are significantly greater in CaP tissue than in normal or hyperplastic prostate tissue42,43 and MDA PCa2a prostate cancer cells have been shown to express high levels of FN.44 We have demonstrated that LNCaP-r cells overexpress FN (>60-fold as compared with LNCaP). FN-integrin mediated cell adhesion triggers intracellular signaling events, such as activation of the ERK2/MAP kinase cascade via focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which modulate FN-mediated gene transcription.45
PM5 (clone 49L) is a 4-kb metalloproteinase-like collagenase that was isolated from a melanoma cDNA library by screening with oligonucleotide sequences to the metal-binding domain of human fibroblast collagenase. Expression in CaP has not been reported before but there is no difference in PM5 mRNA expression in normal and malignant colorectal tissue.46 In this study PM5 expression was differentially expressed between LNCaP and LNCaP-r cells. The substrate for this enzyme is unknown and it is conceivable that it may degrade a matrix which promotes motility; its down-regulation in CaP would be consistent with tumor progression.
BBC-1, which is located at 16q24.3, was initially suggested to be a potential tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer,34 although recent data have given rise to dispute about this role.35 In CaP loss of heterozygosity at 16q has been observed in several studies47-50 and 16q allelic loss is significantly higher in cancer death cases than in early stage tumors.49 Loss of heterozygosity at 16q24.3 is significantly higher in metastatic than localized prostate tumors.51 Expression of BBC1 was down-regulated in LNCaP compared with LNCaP-r cells, supporting further study of BBC1 as a tumor suppressor gene in CaP.
UEV-1 (or CROC-1),33,52 an inactive variant of the E2-conjugating enzymes, is located on chromosome 20q13.2 and is expressed as four isoforms generated by alternative splicing.33 UEV-1A is down-regulated in differentiating colon carcinoma cells and expressed in a cell cycle-dependent manner.33 We have demonstrated that the threefold higher expression of UEV-1 in LNCaP compared with LNCaP-r cells is due to variations in the 1A/1As and not the 1B/1Bs isoforms. Constitutive overexpression of the UEV-1A gene inhibits the activity of the mitotic kinase cdk-1, resulting in G2-M growth arrest.33 LNCaP-r cells possess a higher growth rate than LNCaP cells (data not shown), an effect which may be due to diminished inhibition of cdk-1 by reduced levels of UEV-1A. A similar effect in vivo would provide a growth advantage for hormone-insensitive CaP cells.
The role of UEV-1 is not limited to regulation of the cell cycle. This gene was originally identified by its ability to transactivate a c-fos promoter.52,53 Thompson et al54 have demonstrated that UEV-1A protects cells from DNA-damaging agents and acts through a pathway common to the human MMS2 gene.53 Down-regulation of UEV-1A, as we have observed, could render LNCaP-r cells susceptible to mutation. UEV-1 is structurally related to the tumor suppressor gene TSG10155 and deletions and aberrant splicing patterns of the TSG101 gene have been reported in both breast cancer56,57 and CaP.58 Cher et al17 demonstrated that loss at chromosome 20q is frequently associated with advanced CaP, further implicating UEV-1 as a candidate gene in the progression to AI.
In conclusion, we have identified genes (FN, UEV 1, and BBC1) that correspond to regions of genetic alteration found in both LNCaP-r cells and advanced CaP. The functional role of these genes in the development of AI CaP needs further evaluation.
| Footnotes |
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Accepted for publication January 26, 1999.
| References |
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