AR-regulated TWEAK-FN14 Pathway Promotes Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis

Menée in vitro et in vivo, cette étude met en évidence des mécanismes par lesquels l'expression du gène FN14 favorise la formation de métastases osseuses d'un cancer de la prostate résistant à la castration

Résumé en anglais

The recurrence of prostate cancer metastases to bone after androgen deprivation therapy is a major clinical challenge. We identified FN14 (TNFRSF12A), a TNF receptor family member, as a factor that promotes prostate cancer bone metastasis. In experimental models, depletion of FN14 inhibited bone metastasis, and FN14 could be functionally reconstituted with IKKβ-dependent, NFκB signaling activation. In human prostate cancer, upregulated FN14 expression was observed in greater than half of metastatic samples. In addition, FN14 expression was correlated inversely with AR signaling output in clinical samples. Consistent with this, AR binding to the FN14 enhancer decreased expression. We show here that FN14 may be a survival factor in low AR output prostate cancer cells. Our results define one upstream mechanism, via FN14 signaling, through which the NFκB pathway contributes to prostate cancer metastasis, and they suggest FN14 as a candidate therapeutic and imaging target for castrate resistant prostate cancers.