TMPRSS2-ERG activates NO-cGMP signaling in prostate cancer cells.

ABSTRACT: The aberrant activation of the ERG oncogenic pathway due to the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is the major event that contributes to prostate cancer (PCa) development. However, the critical downstream effectors that can be therapeutically targeted remain to be identified. In this study, we have found that the expression of the α1 and β1 subunits of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) was directly and specifically regulated by ERG in vitro and in vivo and was significantly associated with TMPRSS2-ERG fusion in clinical PCa cohorts. sGC is the major mediator of nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP signaling in cells that, upon NO binding, catalyzes the synthesis of cGMP and subsequently activates protein kinase G (PKG). We showed that cGMP synthesis was significantly elevated by ERG in PCa cells, leading to increase

SUBMITTER: Zhou F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6542710 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature