GLI1 Confers Profound Phenotypic Changes upon LNCaP Prostate Cancer Cells That Include the Acquisition of a Hormone Independent State
2011

GLI1 and Hormone Independence in Prostate Cancer

publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Nadendla Sandeep K., Hazan Allon, Ward Matt, Harper Lisa J., Moutasim Karwan, Bianchi Lucia S., Naase Mahmoud, Ghali Lucy, Thomas Gareth J., Prowse David M., Philpott Michael P., Neill Graham W.

Primary Institution: Queen Mary University of London

Hypothesis

Does GLI1 contribute to the acquisition of a hormone-independent state in prostate cancer cells?

Conclusion

GLI1 promotes a hormone-independent phenotype in LNCaP prostate cancer cells by inducing a basal-like state.

Supporting Evidence

  • GLI reporter activity was higher in androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines compared to androgen-dependent cells.
  • Ectopic expression of GLI1 induced a cobblestone-like morphology in LNCaP cells.
  • LNCaP-GLI1 cells were viable in the presence of the AR inhibitor bicalutamide.
  • Gene expression profiling showed that LNCaP-GLI1 cells had a transcriptome closer to DU145 and PC-3 cells.
  • LNCaP-GLI1 cells displayed greater clonal growth and were more invasive than control cells.

Takeaway

This study found that a protein called GLI1 helps prostate cancer cells grow without needing hormones, which is important for understanding how to treat this disease.

Methodology

The study involved analyzing GLI reporter activity, gene expression profiling, and various assays to assess cell morphology and behavior.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in the interpretation of GLI1's role due to the focus on specific cell lines.

Limitations

The study did not explore the long-term effects of GLI1 suppression on prostate cancer progression.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0020271

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