Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Monocarboxylate Transporter 2 (MCT2) is a major pyruvate transporter encoded by the SLC16A7 gene. Recent studies pointed to a consistent overexpression of MCT2 in prostate cancer (PCa) suggesting MCT2 as a putative biomarker and molecular target. Despite the importance of this observation the mechanisms involved in MCT2 regulation are unknown. Through an integrative analysis we have discovered that selective demethylation of an internal SLC16A7/MCT2 promoter is a recurrent event in independent PCa cohorts. This demethylation is associated with expression of isoforms differing only in 5'-UTR translational control motifs, providing one contributing mechanism for MCT2 protein overexpression in PCa. Genes co-expressed with SLC16A7/MCT2 also clustered in oncogenic-related pathways and effectors of these signalling pathways were found to bind at the SLC16A7/MCT2 gene locus. Finally, MCT2 knock-down attenuated the growth of PCa cells. The present study unveils an unexpected epigenetic regulation of SLC16A7/MCT2 isoforms and identifies a link between SLC16A7/MCT2, Androgen Receptor (AR), ETS-related gene (ERG) and other oncogenic pathways in PCa. These results underscore the importance of combining data from epigenetic, transcriptomic and protein level changes to allow more comprehensive insights into the mechanisms underlying protein expression, that in our case provide additional weight to MCT2 as a candidate biomarker and molecular target in PCa.

Original publication

DOI

10.18632/oncotarget.4328

Type

Journal article

Journal

Oncotarget

Publication Date

28/08/2015

Volume

6

Pages

21675 - 21684

Keywords

castrate resistant disease, malignant phenotype, monocarboxylate transporter 2, prostate cancer, 5' Untranslated Regions, Amino Acid Motifs, Cohort Studies, Epigenesis, Genetic, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Male, Microscopy, Confocal, Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters, Neoplasm Metastasis, Phenotype, Prostatic Neoplasms, Protein Biosynthesis, RNA, Small Interfering, Receptors, Androgen, Signal Transduction, Trans-Activators, Transcriptional Regulator ERG