A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

SIX2 promotes cell plasticity via Wnt/β-catenin signalling in androgen receptor independent prostate cancer




AuthorsLeppänen Noora, Kaljunen Heidi, Takala Eerika, Kaarijärvi Roosa, Mäkinen Petri I, Ylä-Herttuala Seppo, Paatero Ilkka, Paakinaho Ville, Ketola Kirsi

PublisherOxford University Press

Publication year2024

JournalNucleic Acids Research

Journal name in sourceNucleic acids research

Journal acronymNucleic Acids Res

Volume52

Issue10

First page 5610

Last page5623

ISSN0305-1048

eISSN1362-4962

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkae206

Web address https://academic.oup.com/nar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nar/gkae206/7637889?login=true

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/387510483


Abstract

The use of androgen receptor (AR) inhibitors in prostate cancer gives rise to increased cellular lineage plasticity resulting in resistance to AR-targeted therapies. In this study, we examined the chromatin landscape of AR-positive prostate cancer cells post-exposure to the AR inhibitor enzalutamide. We identified a novel regulator of cell plasticity, the homeobox transcription factor SIX2, whose motif is enriched in accessible chromatin regions after treatment. Depletion of SIX2 in androgen-independent PC-3 prostate cancer cells induced a switch from a stem-like to an epithelial state, resulting in reduced cancer-related properties such as proliferation, colony formation, and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. These effects were mediated through the downregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway and subsequent reduction of nuclear β-catenin. Collectively, our findings provide compelling evidence that the depletion of SIX2 may represent a promising strategy for overcoming the cell plasticity mechanisms driving antiandrogen resistance in prostate cancer.


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Last updated on 2025-13-02 at 10:58