Cellular and Molecular Biology of Prostate Cancer

Research Team:  Bergan, Catalona, Chandel, Crawford, Goldman, Kaul, Lamm, Lee, Meade, Mirkin, Stern, Volpert, Woloschak

Understanding the basic biology of the normal and cancerous prostate is critical for developing new approaches for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of prostate cancer. Several aspects of the basic prostate biology are studied by members of the Prostate Cancer Program. One of the important aspects is the mechanism of prostate development (Lamm, Lee). The role of a set of conserved developmental genes including Sonic Hedgehog, hox genes, and BMP-4 genes are being studied. The prostate growth and morphogenesis is androgen-dependent. Stromal-epithelial and epithelia-extracellular matrix interactions are essential factors regulating prostate growth, differentiation and metastasis (Bergan, Lee) and angiogenesis (Crawford, Lee, Volpert). Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key mechanism for cancer progression and metastasis. Investigation of the mechanisms of EMT has been studied by Drs. Goldman and Lee. Apoptosis in normal and cancerous prostate cells is also a major research interest of the members of the Prostate Cancer Program (Chandel, Lee, Volpert). Considering the fact that skeletal prostate cancer metastasis is very frequent, interactions between prostate cancer cells and bone matrix are also studied by members of the Cancer Center (Kaul, Satcher, Stern, Woloschak). Promoter methylation in tumor suppressor genes has been associated with prostate cancer progression (Kaul, Lee). Finally, members of the Prostate Cancer Program are taking advantage of the emerging nanotechnology to elucidate prostate carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and androgen action (Meade, Mirkin, Woloschak). The goal of the above studies is to facilitate the development of new approaches for prostate cancer management though elucidating the fundamental molecular mechanisms of proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, and cell-cell interactions in both normal and cancerous prostate.

Previous Page