Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA; folate hydrolase) prostate cancer (PC) expression has theranostic utility.
To elucidate PC PSMA expression and associate this with defective DNA damage ...repair (DDR).
Membranous PSMA (mPSMA) expression was scored immunohistochemically from metastatic castration-resistant PC (mCRPC) and matching, same-patient, diagnostic biopsies, and correlated with next-generation sequencing (NGS) and clinical outcome data.
Expression of mPSMA was quantitated by modified H-score. Patient DNA was tested by NGS. Gene expression and activity scores were determined from mCRPC transcriptomes. Statistical correlations utilised Wilcoxon signed rank tests, survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier test, and sample heterogeneity was quantified by Shannon's diversity index.
Expression of mPSMA at diagnosis was associated with higher Gleason grade (p=0.04) and worse overall survival (p=0.006). Overall, mPSMA expression levels increased at mCRPC (median H-score interquartile range: castration-sensitive prostate cancer CSPC 17.5 0.0–60.0 vs mCRPC 55.0 2.8–117.5). Surprisingly, 42% (n=16) of CSPC and 27% (n=16) of mCRPC tissues sampled had no detectable mPSMA (H-score <10). Marked intratumour heterogeneity of mPSMA expression, with foci containing no detectable PSMA, was observed in all mPSMA expressing CSPC (100%) and 37 (84%) mCRPC biopsies. Heterogeneous intrapatient mPSMA expression between metastases was also observed, with the lowest expression in liver metastases. Tumours with DDR had higher mPSMA expression (p=0.016; 87.5 25.0–247.5 vs 20 0.3–98.8; difference in medians 60 5.0–95.0); validation cohort studies confirmed higher mPSMA expression in patients with deleterious aberrations in BRCA2 (p<0.001; median H-score: 300 165–300; difference in medians 195.0 100.0–270.0) and ATM (p=0.005; 212.5 136.3–300; difference in medians 140.0 55.0–200) than in molecularly unselected mCRPC biopsies (55.0 2.75–117.5). Validation studies using mCRPC transcriptomes corroborated these findings, also indicating that SOX2 high tumours have low PSMA expression.
Membranous PSMA expression is upregulated in some but not all PCs, with mPSMA expression demonstrating marked inter- and intrapatient heterogeneity. DDR aberrations are associated with higher mPSMA expression and merit further evaluation as predictive biomarkers of response for PSMA-targeted therapies in larger, prospective cohorts.
Through analysis of prostate cancer samples, we report that the presence of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is extremely variable both within one patient and between different patients. This may limit the usefulness of PSMA scans and PSMA-targeted therapies. We show for the first time that prostate cancers with defective DNA repair produce more PSMA and so may respond better to PSMA-targeting treatments.
Membranous prostate-specific membrane antigen (mPSMA) expression is upregulated in many, but not all, prostate cancers. Importantly, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression demonstrates marked intra- and interpatient heterogeneity, limiting the clinical utility of PSMA theranostics. Defective DNA repair gene aberrations are associated with significantly higher mPSMA expression levels in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and may serve as predictive biomarkers for PSMA-targeted therapies.
The genomics of primary prostate cancer differ from those of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We studied genomic aberrations in primary prostate cancer biopsies from patients ...who developed mCRPC, also studying matching, same-patient, diagnostic, and mCRPC biopsies following treatment. We profiled 470 treatment-naive prostate cancer diagnostic biopsies and, for 61 cases, mCRPC biopsies, using targeted and low-pass whole-genome sequencing (n = 52). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize mutation and copy number profile. Prevalence was compared using Fisher's exact test. Survival correlations were studied using log-rank test. TP53 (27%) and PTEN (12%) and DDR gene defects (BRCA2 7%; CDK12 5%; ATM 4%) were commonly detected. TP53, BRCA2, and CDK12 mutations were markedly more common than described in the TCGA cohort. Patients with RB1 loss in the primary tumor had a worse prognosis. Among 61 men with matched hormone-naive and mCRPC biopsies, differences were identified in AR, TP53, RB1, and PI3K/AKT mutational status between same-patient samples. In conclusion, the genomics of diagnostic prostatic biopsies acquired from men who develop mCRPC differ from those of the nonlethal primary prostatic cancers. RB1/TP53/AR aberrations are enriched in later stages, but the prevalence of DDR defects in diagnostic samples is similar to mCRPC.
Tumor clone dynamics in lethal prostate cancer Carreira, Suzanne; Romanel, Alessandro; Goodall, Jane ...
Science translational medicine,
2014-Sep-17, Letnik:
6, Številka:
254
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
It is unclear whether a single clone metastasizes and remains dominant over the course of lethal prostate cancer. We describe the clonal architectural heterogeneity at different stages of disease ...progression by sequencing serial plasma and tumor samples from 16 ERG-positive patients. By characterizing the clonality of commonly occurring deletions at 21q22, 8p21, and 10q23, we identified multiple independent clones in metastatic disease that are differentially represented in tissue and circulation. To exemplify the clinical utility of our studies, we then showed a temporal association between clinical progression and emergence of androgen receptor (AR) mutations activated by glucocorticoids in about 20% of patients progressing on abiraterone and prednisolone or dexamethasone. Resistant clones showed a complex dynamic with temporal and spatial heterogeneity, suggesting distinct mechanisms of resistance at different sites that emerged and regressed depending on treatment selection pressure. This introduces a management paradigm requiring sequential monitoring of advanced prostate cancer patients with plasma and tumor biopsies to ensure early discontinuation of agents when they become potential disease drivers.
Noninvasive biomarkers are needed to guide metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treatment.
To clinically qualify baseline and on-treatment cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentrations as ...biomarkers of patient outcome following taxane chemotherapy.
Blood for cfDNA analyses was prospectively collected from 571 mCRPC patients participating in two phase III clinical trials, FIRSTANA (NCT01308567) and PROSELICA (NCT01308580). Patients received docetaxel (75mg/m2) or cabazitaxel (20 or 25mg/m2) as first-line chemotherapy (FIRSTANA), and cabazitaxel (20 or 25mg/m2) as second-line chemotherapy (PROSELICA).
Associations between cfDNA concentration and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response were tested using logistic regression models. Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods for cfDNA concentration grouped by quartile. Cox proportional hazard models, within each study, tested for associations with radiological progression-free survival (rPFS) and overall survival (OS), with multivariable analyses adjusting for baseline prognostic variables. Two-stage individual patient meta-analysis combined results for cfDNA concentrations for both studies.
In 2502 samples, baseline log10 cfDNA concentration correlated with known prognostic factors, shorter rPFS (hazard ratio HR=1.54; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.15–2.08; p=0.004), and shorter OS on taxane therapy (HR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.18–1.97; p=0.001). In multivariable analyses, baseline cfDNA concentration was an independent prognostic variable for rPFS and OS in both first- and second-line chemotherapy settings. Patients with a PSA response experienced a decline in log10 cfDNA concentrations during the first four cycles of treatment (per cycle −0.03; 95% CI: −0.044 to −0.009; p=0.003). Study limitations included the fact that blood sample collection was not mandated for all patients and the inability to specifically quantitate tumour-derived cfDNA fraction in cfDNA.
We report that changes in cfDNA concentrations correlate with both rPFS and OS in patients receiving first- and second-line taxane therapy, and may serve as independent prognostic biomarkers of response to taxanes.
In the past decade, several new therapies have been introduced for men diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. Although metastatic prostate cancer remains incurable, these novel agents have extended patient survival and improved their quality of life in comparison with the last decade. To further optimise treatment allocation and individualise patient care, better tests (biomarkers) are needed to guide the delivery of improved and more precise care. In this report, we assessed cfDNA in over 2500 blood samples from men with prostate cancer who were recruited to two separate international studies and received taxane chemotherapy. We quantified the concentration of cfDNA fragments in blood plasma, which partly originates from tumour. We identified that higher concentrations of circulating cfDNA fragments, prior to starting taxane chemotherapy, can be used to identify patients with aggressive prostate cancer. A decline in cfDNA concentration during the first 3–9 wk after initiation of taxane therapy was seen in patients deriving benefit from taxane chemotherapy. These results identified circulating cfDNA as a new biomarker of aggressive disease in metastatic prostate cancer and imply that the study of cfDNA has clinical utility, supporting further efforts to develop blood-based tests on this circulating tumour-derived DNA.
Plasma cell-free DNA comprises fragmented nucleic acids from normal and tumour cells, and has utility as a biomarker of radiological progression-free and overall survival from first- and second-line treatment with taxane in advanced prostate cancer.
deletions and
mutations frequently cooccur in prostate cancer with lower frequencies reported in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We monitored CHD1 expression during disease progression ...and assessed the molecular and clinical characteristics of
-deleted/
-mutated metastatic CRPC (mCRPC).
We identified 89 patients with mCRPC who had hormone-naive and castration-resistant tumor samples available: These were analyzed for CHD1, PTEN, and ERG expression by IHC.
status was determined by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). We studied the correlations between these biomarkers and (i) overall survival from diagnosis; (ii) overall survival from CRPC; (iii) duration of abiraterone treatment; and (iv) response to abiraterone. Relationship with outcome was analyzed using Cox regression and log-rank analyses.
CHD1 protein loss was detected in 11 (15%) and 13 (17%) of hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) and CRPC biopsies, respectively. Comparison of CHD1 expression was feasible in 56 matched, same patient HSPC and CRPC biopsies. CHD1 protein status in HSPC and CRPC correlated in 55 of 56 cases (98%). We identified 22 patients with somatic
mutations, with six of these mutations not reported previously in prostate cancer.
mutations and/or CHD1 loss was associated with a higher response rate to abiraterone (SPOP: OR, 14.50
= 0.001; CHD1: OR, 7.30,
= 0.08) and a longer time on abiraterone (SPOP: HR, 0.37,
= 0.002, CHD1: HR, 0.50,
= 0.06).
-mutated mCRPCs are strongly enriched for CHD1 loss. These tumors appear highly sensitive to abiraterone treatment.
.
Persistent androgen receptor (AR) signaling drives castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and confers resistance to AR-targeting therapies. Novel therapeutic strategies to overcome this are ...urgently required. We evaluated how bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) protein inhibitors (BETi) abrogate aberrant AR signaling in CRPC.
We determined associations between BET expression, AR-driven transcription, and patient outcome; and the effect and mechanism by which chemical BETi (JQ1 and GSK1210151A; I-BET151) and BET family protein knockdown regulates AR-V7 expression and AR signaling in prostate cancer models.
Nuclear BRD4 protein expression increases significantly (
≤ 0.01) with castration resistance in same patient treatment-naïve (median
-score; interquartile range: 100; 100-170) and CRPC (150; 110-200) biopsies, with higher expression at diagnosis associating with worse outcome (HR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.50-7.01;
≤ 0.001). BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4 RNA expression in CRPC biopsies correlates with AR-driven transcription (all
≤ 0.001). Chemical BETi, and combined BET family protein knockdown, reduce AR-V7 expression and AR signaling. This was not recapitulated by C-MYC knockdown. In addition, we show that BETi regulates RNA processing thereby reducing alternative splicing and AR-V7 expression. Furthermore, BETi reduce growth of prostate cancer cells and patient-derived organoids with known AR mutations, AR amplification and AR-V7 expression. Finally, BETi, unlike enzalutamide, decreases persistent AR signaling and growth (
≤ 0.001) of a patient-derived xenograft model of CRPC with AR amplification and AR-V7 expression.
BETi merit clinical evaluation as inhibitors of AR splicing and function, with trials demonstrating their blockade in proof-of-mechanism pharmacodynamic studies.
.
We evaluated whether next-generation sequencing (NGS) of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) could be used for patient selection and as a tumor clone response biomarker in patients with advanced ...cancers participating in early-phase clinical trials of targeted drugs.
Plasma samples from patients with known tumor mutations who completed at least two courses of investigational targeted therapy were collected monthly, until disease progression. NGS was performed sequentially on the Ion Torrent PGM platform.
cfDNA was extracted from 39 patients with various tumor types. Treatments administered targeted mainly the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway (n = 28) or MEK (n = 7). Overall, 159 plasma samples were sequenced with a mean sequencing coverage achieved of 1,685X across experiments. At trial initiation (C1D1), 23 of 39 (59%) patients had at least one mutation identified in cfDNA (mean 2, range 1-5). Out of the 44 mutations identified at C1D1, TP53, PIK3CA and KRAS were the top 3 mutated genes identified, with 18 (41%), 9 (20%), 8 (18%) different mutations, respectively. Out of these 23 patients, 13 received a targeted drug matching their tumor profile. For the 23 patients with cfDNA mutation at C1D1, the monitoring of mutation allele frequency (AF) in consecutive plasma samples during treatment with targeted drugs demonstrated potential treatment associated clonal responses. Longitudinal monitoring of cfDNA samples with multiple mutations indicated the presence of separate clones behaving discordantly. Molecular changes at cfDNA mutation level were associated with time to disease progression by RECIST criteria.
Targeted NGS of cfDNA has potential clinical utility to monitor the delivery of targeted therapies.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) aberrations have been reported as a biomarker of response to immunotherapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Herein, we characterize ...CDK12-mutated mCRPC, presenting clinical, genomic, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) data.
Patients with mCRPC consented to the molecular analyses of diagnostic and mCRPC biopsies. Genomic analyses involved targeted next-generation (MiSeq; Illumina) and exome sequencing (NovaSeq; Illumina). TILs were assessed by validated immunocytochemistry coupled with deep learning-based artificial intelligence analyses including multiplex immunofluorescence assays for CD4, CD8, and FOXP3 evaluating TIL subsets. The control group comprised a randomly selected mCRPC cohort with sequencing and clinical data available.
Biopsies from 913 patients underwent targeted sequencing between February 2015 and October 2019. Forty-three patients (4.7%) had tumors with CDK12 alterations. CDK12-altered cancers had distinctive features, with some revealing high chromosomal break numbers in exome sequencing. Biallelic CDK12-aberrant mCRPCs had shorter overall survival from diagnosis than controls 5.1 years (95% confidence interval (CI), 4.0-7.9) vs. 6.4 years (95% CI, 5.7-7.8); hazard ratio (HR), 1.65 (95% CI, 1.07-2.53);
= 0.02. Median intratumoral CD3
cell density was higher in CDK12 cancers, although this was not statistically significant (203.7 vs. 86.7 cells/mm
;
= 0.07). This infiltrate primarily comprised of CD4
FOXP3
cells (50.5 vs. 6.2 cells/mm
;
< 0.0001), where high counts tended to be associated with worse survival from diagnosis (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 0.95-2.84;
= 0.077) in the overall population.
CDK12-altered mCRPCs have worse prognosis, with these tumors surprisingly being primarily enriched for CD4
FOXP3
cells that seem to associate with worse outcome and may be immunosuppressive.
.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of male cancer deaths. Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a lethal stage of the disease that emerges when endocrine therapies are no longer ...effective at suppressing activity of the androgen receptor (AR) transcription factor. The purpose of this study was to identify genomic mechanisms that contribute to the development and progression of CRPC.
We used whole-genome and targeted DNA-sequencing approaches to identify mechanisms underlying CRPC in an aggregate cohort of 272 prostate cancer patients. We analyzed structural rearrangements at the genome-wide level and carried out a detailed structural rearrangement analysis of the
locus. We used genome engineering to perform experimental modeling of
gene rearrangements and long-read RNA sequencing to analyze effects on expression of AR and truncated AR variants (AR-V).
was among the most frequently rearranged genes in CRPC tumors.
gene rearrangements promoted expression of diverse AR-V species.
gene rearrangements occurring in the context of
amplification correlated with AR overexpression. Cell lines with experimentally derived
gene rearrangements displayed high expression of tumor-specific AR-Vs and were resistant to endocrine therapies, including the AR antagonist enzalutamide.
gene rearrangements are an important mechanism of resistance to endocrine therapies in CRPC.
It is widely held that cells with metastatic properties such as invasiveness and expression of matrix metalloproteinases arise through the stepwise accumulation of genetic lesions arising from ...genetic instability and "clonal evolution." By contrast, we show here that in melanomas invasiveness can be regulated epigenetically by the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, Mitf, via regulation of the DIAPH1 gene encoding the diaphanous-related formin Dia1 that promotes actin polymerization and coordinates the actin cytoskeleton and microtubule networks at the cell periphery. Low Mitf levels lead to down-regulation of Dia1, reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, and increased ROCK-dependent invasiveness, whereas increased Mitf expression leads to decreased invasiveness. Significantly the regulation of Dia1 by Mitf also controls p27(Kip1)-degradation such that reduced Mitf levels lead to a p27(Kip1)-dependent G1 arrest. Thus Mitf, via regulation of Dia1, can both inhibit invasiveness and promote proliferation. The results imply variations in the repertoire of environmental cues that determine Mitf activity will dictate the differentiation, proliferative, and invasive/migratory potential of melanoma cells through a dynamic epigenetic mechanism.