The tumor suppressive role of CAMK2N1 in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Oncotarget. 2014 Jun 15;5(11):3611-21. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.1968.

Abstract

Prostate cancer at advanced stages including metastatic and castration-resistant cancer remains incurable due to the lack of effective therapies. The CAMK2N1 gene, cloned and characterized as an inhibitor of CaMKII (calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II), has been shown to affect tumorigenesis and tumor growth. However, it is still unknown whether CAMK2N1 plays a role in prostate cancer development. We first examined the protein and mRNA levels of CAMK2N1 and observed a significant decrease in human prostate cancers comparing to normal prostate tissues. Re-expression of CAMK2N1 in prostate cancer cells reduced cellular proliferation, arrested cells in G0/G1 phases, and induced apoptotic cell death accompanied by down-regulation of IGF-1, ErbB2, and VEGF downstream kinases PI3K/AKT, as well as the MEK/ERK-mediated signaling pathways. Conversely, knockdown of CAMK2N1 had a significant opposite effects on these phenotypes. Our analyses suggest that CAMK2N1 plays a tumor suppressive role in prostate cancer cells. Reduced CAMK2N1 expression correlates to human prostate cancer progression and predicts poor clinical outcome, indicating that CAMK2N1 may serve as a biomarker. The inhibition of tumor growth by expressing CAMK2N1 established a role of CAMK2N1 as a therapeutic target.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • Disease Progression
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice, Nude
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / genetics*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / metabolism*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / pathology
  • Proteins / genetics*
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • CAMK2N1 protein, human
  • Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger