CAMK2N1 inhibits prostate cancer progression through androgen receptor-dependent signaling

Oncotarget. 2014 Nov 15;5(21):10293-306. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.2511.

Abstract

Castration resistance is a major obstacle to hormonal therapy for prostate cancer patients. Although androgen independence of prostate cancer growth is a known contributing factor to endocrine resistance, the mechanism of androgen receptor deregulation in endocrine resistance is still poorly understood. Herein, the CAMK2N1 was shown to contribute to the human prostate cancer cell growth and survival through AR-dependent signaling. Reduced expression of CAMK2N1 was correlated to recurrence-free survival of prostate cancer patients with high levels of AR expression in their tumor. CAMK2N1 and AR signaling form an auto-regulatory negative feedback loop: CAMK2N1 expression was down-regulated by AR activation; while CAMK2N1 inhibited AR expression and transactivation through CAMKII and AKT pathways. Knockdown of CAMK2N1 in prostate cancer cells alleviated Casodex inhibition of cell growth, while re-expression of CAMK2N1 in castration-resistant cells sensitized the cells to Casodex treatment. Taken together, our findings suggest that CAMK2N1 plays a tumor suppressive role and serves as a crucial determinant of the resistance of prostate cancer to endocrine therapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Androgen Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Anilides / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / metabolism
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics
  • Carcinoma / genetics
  • Carcinoma / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma / mortality
  • Cell Growth Processes / genetics
  • Drug Resistance / genetics
  • Feedback, Physiological
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nitriles / pharmacology
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Receptors, Androgen / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tosyl Compounds / pharmacology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Androgen Antagonists
  • Anilides
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • CAMK2N1 protein, human
  • Nitriles
  • Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Androgen
  • Tosyl Compounds
  • bicalutamide
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2