(Press-News.org) A recent study published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology explored genetic predictors of prostate cancer progression to help identify its clinical outcomes. Conducted by researchers from the D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), the University of São Paulo (USP), and the São Paulo Cancer Institute (ICESP), the study focused on the role of the androgen receptor (AR), its variant AR-V7, and the p160 gene family.
Prostate cancer: a complex and deadly disease
Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death among men, claiming more than 40 lives daily in Brazil. One of its biggest challenges is predicting which cases will become more aggressive, as the disease varies greatly between individuals. To uncover genetic clues that could help in early detection of high-risk cases, researchers focused on specific genes commonly associated with prostate cancer progression.
Investigating key genes
The study analyzed five key genes:
AR (androgen receptor) – Plays a crucial role in male traits and prostate cancer progression.
AR-V7 (a variant of AR) – Linked to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), which continues to progress despite androgen-suppressing treatments.
p160 gene family (SRC-1, SRC-2, and SRC-3) – Co-activators of AR that influence cancer aggressiveness.
The research involved 155 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (prostate removal) between 1994 and 2012, as well as tissue samples from 11 healthy individuals as a control group. Using qPCR, a technique that amplifies and quantifies DNA or RNA, the scientists measured gene expression levels in the collected tissue samples. Their goal was to investigate the relationship between genetic profiles and clinical characteristics, such as cancer recurrence and progression to CRPC.
Linking gene expression to clinical outcomes
The results showed that, except for SRC-1, all analyzed genes had higher activation levels in cancer patients compared to the control group. While SRC-1 did not reach statistical significance, its average expression was still higher in cancer patients, and the study suggested its relevance in metastatic cancer progression, indicating some potential as a prognostic factor.
Another key finding was that AR gene expression was not directly linked to the expression of its auxiliary genes (SRC-1, SRC-2, and SRC-3) or to AR-V7. However, AR-V7 was strongly associated with the p160 family genes, suggesting that AR-V7’s ability to help prostate cancer cells resist hormone therapy depends on these auxiliary genes, especially SRC-3.
Additionally, SRC-2 and SRC-3 were significantly linked to high-risk prostate cancer, while excessive AR activation was associated with a 73.2% higher risk of early recurrence. AR-V7 expression also showed a 62.1% increase in early recurrence risk. These findings underscore the importance of androgen signaling in prostate cancer recurrence and tumor development.
The study suggests that these genes could serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for prostate cancer. While SRC-1 showed distinct activation in metastatic cases, SRC-2 and SRC-3 had expression changes that may help identify more aggressive malignancies.
The authors emphasize that these correlations require further investigation, particularly the association between SRC-3 and AR-V7, which could provide deeper insights into the role of p160 family proteins in CRPC development. These promising findings pave the way for future studies on the role of androgen-related genes in prostate cancer prognosis, contributing to advancements in personalized treatment approaches for the disease.
END
Study reveals genes that may help predict prostate cancer outcomes
Disease kills more than 40 men per day in Brazil and varies in severity
2025-02-18
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Obesity surgery tourism – only approved centres should be carrying out recognised procedures to avoid further tragedies
2025-02-18
Obesity surgery (also known as bariatric and metabolic surgery) is one of the most common reasons for people to do so called ‘medical tourism’ – where they travel to another country to have the procedure carried out at usually a much lower price than in their home country. However, such procedures can sometimes be botched and lead to infections, temporary or permanent injuries and/or scarring, and in the worst cases, be fatal. Regarding Europe, there is currently no published data evaluating how to improve the safety of obesity surgery medical tourism.
Seeking this type of obesity ...
Medicaid telehealth reimbursement policies are exacerbating workforce shortages in safety net clinics, study finds
2025-02-18
A new study published in JAMA Network Open finds that low Medicaid telehealth reimbursement in New York State may be exacerbating a workforce crisis at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), particularly among mental health care practitioners. The challenge compounds existing financial instability at FQHCs and barriers to telehealth access among low-income New Yorkers who rely on safety-net care.
The study, led by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, highlights several possible solutions, including payment parity ...
Texas McCombs faculty research hits historic high
2025-02-18
AUSTIN, Texas -- McCombs’ faculty research leaped 10 spots to No. 10 worldwide in the Financial Times’ release of its Global MBA Rankings for 2025, a historic high for McCombs reaching back to 1999.
The top spot for research went to the University of Pennsylvania, with Columbia University and the University of Chicago tying for second place.
Faculty Research is the third weightiest component (10%) of the 21 used in the MBA ranking, behind percentage of salary increase (16%) and salary three years post-graduation ...
Multiple sclerosis: Cell-catching implant helps identify successful treatment in mice
2025-02-18
Images
A sponge-like implant in mice helped guide a treatment that slowed or stopped a degenerative condition similar to multiple sclerosis in humans. It also gave University of Michigan researchers a first look at how primary progressive multiple sclerosis, the fastest-progressing version of the disease, attacks the central nervous system early on.
If administered early, the nanoparticle-based treatment prevented mice from developing symptoms such as paralysis. If given after the first symptoms emerged, it reduced symptom scores by half compared to untreated ...
Q&A: Is it always ‘us vs them’? Researcher explains why flexibility is key
2025-02-18
UNIVERSITY PARK , Pa. — Urban versus rural. Penn State versus Michigan. Star Wars versus Star Trek. As social beings, humans gravitate toward groups. But sometimes group living can spur an “us versus them” mentality that causes conflict, especially when two groups are competing for the same limited resources, like money or a championship trophy.
In the following Q&A, Anne Pisor, assistant professor of anthropology at Penn State and Social Science Research Institute co-funded faculty member, discussed her recently published paper on the “us versus them” mindset as well as the causes and how to overcome it.
Q: What does your research say about ...
New nanoscale technique unlocks quantum material secrets
2025-02-18
Scientists are racing to develop new materials for quantum technologies in computing and sensing for ultraprecise measurements. For these future technologies to transition from the laboratory to real-world applications, a much deeper understanding is needed of the behavior near surfaces, especially those at interfaces between materials.
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have unveiled a new technique that could help advance the development of quantum technology. Their innovation, surface-sensitive spintronic terahertz spectroscopy (SSTS), provides an unprecedented look at how quantum ...
New study uncovers how genes influence retinal aging and brain health
2025-02-18
Vision changes are an inevitable part of aging, but why are some more susceptible to age-related eye diseases and why do some individuals experience more severe decline than others? New research from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) reveals that genetics play a key role in how the eye ages, with different genetic backgrounds influencing retinal aging in distinct ways.
The study, published in Molecular Neurodegeneration, examined age-related changes in genes and proteins of the retinas of nine strains of mice, ...
‘False’ springs, long summers mean uncertainty for NY grape growers
2025-02-18
CORNELL UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
FOR RELEASE: Feb. 17, 2025
Kaitlyn Serrao
607-882-1140
kms465@cornell.edu
‘False’ springs, long summers mean uncertainty for NY grape growers
ITHACA, N.Y. – Warmer autumns and more “false” springs are disrupting the signals grapevines rely on to gain cold hardiness for the winter and blossom effectively in the spring, according to new research from Cornell University.
“In New York, we are right at the coldest ...
A treatment-resistant, severe type of asthma successfully modeled in mice
2025-02-18
A better understanding of inflammation and lung immunity over the past two decades has led to new, innovative treatments for asthma, including biologic therapies.
This is especially true for a subtype known as eosinophilic asthma—asthma that’s related to the recruitment and overactivation of white blood cells in the lungs called eosinophils.
However, a different type of asthma called neutrophilic asthma has fewer treatment options and doesn’t respond as well to first line asthma therapy.
As a result, people with this type of asthma, which ...
Cholesterol metabolism byproduct linked to Parkinson’s disease
2025-02-18
Researchers led by Zhentao Zhang at Wuhan University, China have discovered a cholesterol metabolite that plays a critical role in the development of Parkinson’s disease in mice. Published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology on February 18th, the study shows that this metabolite is responsible for the formation of Lewy bodies and the death of dopaminergic neurons in the brain—the two major hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease. Blocking its activity or preventing it from being made by the body could therefore be effective strategies for treating the disease.
Parkinson’s disease develops when the protein alpha-Syn forms clumps of tiny pathological fibers ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
ASU researchers to lead AAAS panel on water insecurity in the United States
ASU professor Anne Stone to present at AAAS Conference in Phoenix on ancient origins of modern disease
Proposals for exploring viruses and skin as the next experimental quantum frontiers share US$30,000 science award
ASU researchers showcase scalable tech solutions for older adults living alone with cognitive decline at AAAS 2026
Scientists identify smooth regional trends in fruit fly survival strategies
Antipathy toward snakes? Your parents likely talked you into that at an early age
Sylvester Cancer Tip Sheet for Feb. 2026
Online exposure to medical misinformation concentrated among older adults
Telehealth improves access to genetic services for adult survivors of childhood cancers
Outdated mortality benchmarks risk missing early signs of famine and delay recognizing mass starvation
Newly discovered bacterium converts carbon dioxide into chemicals using electricity
Flipping and reversing mini-proteins could improve disease treatment
Scientists reveal major hidden source of atmospheric nitrogen pollution in fragile lake basin
Biochar emerges as a powerful tool for soil carbon neutrality and climate mitigation
Tiny cell messengers show big promise for safer protein and gene delivery
AMS releases statement regarding the decision to rescind EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding
Parents’ alcohol and drug use influences their children’s consumption, research shows
Modular assembly of chiral nitrogen-bridged rings achieved by palladium-catalyzed diastereoselective and enantioselective cascade cyclization reactions
Promoting civic engagement
AMS Science Preview: Hurricane slowdown, school snow days
Deforestation in the Amazon raises the surface temperature by 3 °C during the dry season
Model more accurately maps the impact of frost on corn crops
How did humans develop sharp vision? Lab-grown retinas show likely answer
Sour grapes? Taste, experience of sour foods depends on individual consumer
At AAAS, professor Krystal Tsosie argues the future of science must be Indigenous-led
From the lab to the living room: Decoding Parkinson’s patients movements in the real world
Research advances in porous materials, as highlighted in the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Sally C. Morton, executive vice president of ASU Knowledge Enterprise, presents a bold and practical framework for moving research from discovery to real-world impact
Biochemical parameters in patients with diabetic nephropathy versus individuals with diabetes alone, non-diabetic nephropathy, and healthy controls
Muscular strength and mortality in women ages 63 to 99
[Press-News.org] Study reveals genes that may help predict prostate cancer outcomesDisease kills more than 40 men per day in Brazil and varies in severity