Authors: Raffaele La Montagna, Isabella Caligiuri, Pasquale Maranta, Chiara Lucchetti, Luca Esposito, Marco G. Paggi, Giuseppe Toffoli, Flavio Rizzolio and Antonio Giordano

Raffaele La Montagna

Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine; Center for Biotechnology; College of Science and Technology; Temple University; Philadelphia, PA USA; Human Health Foundation; Terni and Spoleto, Perugia, Italy
These authors have equally contributed to this work.

Isabella Caligiuri

Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine; Center for Biotechnology; College of Science and Technology; Temple University; Philadelphia, PA USA; Human Health Foundation; Terni and Spoleto, Perugia, Italy; Department of Human Pathology and Oncology; University of Siena; Siena, Italy
These authors have equally contributed to this work.

Pasquale Maranta

Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine; Center for Biotechnology; College of Science and Technology; Temple University; Philadelphia, PA USA

Chiara Lucchetti

Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine; Center for Biotechnology; College of Science and Technology; Temple University; Philadelphia, PA USA

Luca Esposito

INT-CROM; Pascale Foundation; National Cancer Institute - Cancer Research Center; Mercogliano, Italy

Marco G. Paggi

National Cancer Institute Regina Elena; Rome, Italy

Giuseppe Toffoli

Division of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology; Department of Molecular Biology and Translational Research; National Cancer Institute and Center for Molecular Biomedicine; Aviano, Pordenone, Italy

Flavio Rizzolio

Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine; Center for Biotechnology; College of Science and Technology; Temple University; Philadelphia, PA USA; Division of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology; Department of Molecular Biology and Translational Research; National Cancer Institute and Center for Molecular Biomedicine; Aviano, Pordenone, Italy

Antonio Giordano

Corresponding author: giordano@temple.edu
Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine; Center for Biotechnology; College of Science and Technology; Temple University; Philadelphia, PA USA; Human Health Foundation; Terni and Spoleto, Perugia, Italy; Department of Human Pathology and Oncology; University of Siena; Siena, Italy; INT-CROM; Pascale Foundation; National Cancer Institute - Cancer Research Center; Mercogliano, Italy

Abstract:
Hormone-dependent tumors are characterized by deregulated activity of specific steroid receptors, allowing aberrant expression of many genes involved in cancer initiation, progression and metastasis. In prostate cancer, the androgen receptor (AR) protein has pivotal functions, and over the years it has been the target of different drugs. AR is a nuclear receptor whose activity is regulated by a phosphorylation mechanism controlled by hormone and growth factors. Following phosphorylation, AR interacts with many cofactors that closely control its function. Among such cofactors, Pin1 is a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase that is involved in the control of protein phosphorylation and has a prognostic value in prostate cancer. In the present study, we demonstrate that ARSer81 is involved in the interaction with Pin1, and that this interaction is important for the transcriptional activity of AR. Since Pin1 expression positively correlates with tumor grade, our results suggest that Pin1 can participate in this process by modulating AR function.

Received: June 13, 2012; Accepted: August 3, 2012; Published Online: August 16, 2012

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