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BACKGROUND Clinical management of prostate cancer (PC) is still highly demanding on the identification of robust biomarkers which will allow a more precise prediction of disease progression. METHODS We profiled both mRNA expression and DNA copy number alterations (CNAs) from laser capture microdissected cells from 31 PC patients and 17 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia using Affymetrix GeneChip® technology. PC patients were subdivided into an aggressive (Gleason Score 8 or higher, and/or T3/T4 and/or N+/M+) and non-aggressive (all others) form of PC. Furthermore, we correlated the two datasets, as genes whose varied expression is due to a chromosomal alteration, may suggest a causal implication of these genes in the disease. All statistical analyses were performed in R version 2.15.0 and Bioconductor version 1.8.1., respectively. RESULTS We confirmed several common altered chromosomal regions as well as recently discovered loci such as deletions on chromosomes 3p14.1-3p13 and 13q13.3-13q14.11 supporting a possible role for RYBP, RGC32, and ELF1 in tumor suppression. Integrative analysis of expression and CN data combined with data retrieved from online databases propose PTP4A3 and ELF1 as possible factors for tumor progression. CONCLUSIONS Copy number data analysis revealed some significant differences between aggressive and non-aggressive tumors, while gene expression data alone could not define an aggressive group of patients. The assessment of CNA may have diagnostic and prognostic value in PC. Prostate 73: 1413–1426, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PURPOSE: The known importance of testosterone for the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) prompted us to test the hypothesis whether polymorphisms of two genes (CYP19A1 and CYP3A4) involved in testosterone metabolism are associated with clinical BPH-parameters. METHODS: A random sample of the population-based Herne lower urinary tract symptoms cohort was analysed. All these men underwent a detailed urological work-up. Two polymorphisms in the CYP19A1 gene [rs700518 in exon 4 (A57G); rs10046 at the 3'UTR(C268T)] and one in the 3'UTR of CYP3A4 [rs2740574 (A392G)] were determined by TaqMan assay from genomic DNA of peripheral blood. These polymorphisms were correlated to clinical and laboratory BPH-parameters. RESULTS: A total of 392 men (65.4 +/- 7.0 years; 52-79 years) were analysed. Mean International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS; 7.5), Q (max) (15.4 ml/s), prostate volume (31 ml) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) (1.8 ng/ml) indicated a typical elderly population. Both polymorphisms in the CYP19A1 gene were not correlated to age, IPSS, Q (max), prostate volume and post-void residual volume. Serum PSA was higher in men carrying the heterozygous rs10046 genotype (2.0 +/- 0.1 ng/ml) than in those with the CC-genotype (1.7 +/- 0.2 ng/ml, P = 0.012). Men carrying one a mutated allele of the CYP3A4 gene had smaller prostates (27.0 +/- 2.0 vs. 32 +/- 0.8 ml, P = 0.02) and lower PSA levels (1.6 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.9 +/- 0.1 ng/ml). CONCLUSIONS: The inconsistent associations observed herein and for other gene polymorphisms warrant further studies. In general, the data regarding the association of gene polymorphism to BPH-parameters suggest that this disease is caused by multiple rather than a single genetic variant. A rigorous patient selection based on anatomo-pathological and hormonal profile may possible reduce the number of confounders for future studies thus enabling a more detailed assessment of the association between genetic factors and BPH-parameters

AURKA is a centrosome-associated serine/threonine kinase involved in mitotic chromosomal segregation. The AURKA gene is located on chromosome 20q13, also known as HPC20 prostate cancer susceptibility locus. Therefore, we investigated in this Caucasian case–control study two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the AURKA gene, rs8173 located in the 3′-untranslated region (G1891C) and rs2273535 in exon 5 (Phe31Ile), and their association with prostate cancer risk. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of 824 prostate cancer patients and 1,081 control patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Genotypes were determined using 5′-nuclease TaqMan assays. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to calculate odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) and to adjust for confounders. The odds ratios calculated relative to the wild-type were for the homozygous polymorphic genotypes 1.11 (95% CI = 0.70–1.76) for rs8173 and 1.32 (95% CI = 0.76–2.31) for rs2273535, respectively. Stratified analyses according to Gleason score showed also no statistically significant association for the investigated polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk. The two investigated SNPs in AURKA were not found to be associated with prostate cancer risk. Other common SNPs of AURKA should be investigated in further studies because of its location on a prostate cancer susceptibility locus.

The identification of common genetic polymorphisms that influence susceptibility to PC would allow an early risk assessment with earlier and therefore potentially more effective intervention by chemopreventive means. In this review we focus on published case-control studies and meta-analyses of the following polymorphic genes that may play a role in etiology of the androgen receptor (AR), the prostate-specific antigen (PSA), 5alpha-reductase type II gene (SRD5A2), cytochrome P450c17alpha (CYP17), cytochrome P4503A4 (CYP3A4) and a putative hereditary PC susceptibility gene, ELAC2.

Clinical management of prostate cancer (PC) is still highly demanding on the identification of robust biomarkers which will allow a more precise prediction of disease progression.We profiled both mRNA expression and DNA copy number alterations (CNAs) from laser capture microdissected cells from 31 PC patients and 17 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia using Affymetrix GeneChip® technology. PC patients were subdivided into an aggressive (Gleason Score 8 or higher, and/or T3/T4 and/or N+/M+) and non-aggressive (all others) form of PC. Furthermore, we correlated the two datasets, as genes whose varied expression is due to a chromosomal alteration, may suggest a causal implication of these genes in the disease. All statistical analyses were performed in R version 2.15.0 and Bioconductor version 1.8.1., respectively.We confirmed several common altered chromosomal regions as well as recently discovered loci such as deletions on chromosomes 3p14.1-3p13 and 13q13.3-13q14.11 supporting a possible role for RYBP, RGC32, and ELF1 in tumor suppression. Integrative analysis of expression and CN data combined with data retrieved from online databases propose PTP4A3 and ELF1 as possible factors for tumor progression.Copy number data analysis revealed some significant differences between aggressive and non-aggressive tumors, while gene expression data alone could not define an aggressive group of patients. The assessment of CNA may have diagnostic and prognostic value in PC.

Background : X-ray repair cross complementation group 1 (XRCC1) plays a key role in base excision repair. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of two genetic polymorphisms in XRCC1 (rs1799782 and rs25487) with risk of colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods : In the ongoing colorectal cancer study of Austria (CORSA), a total of 3091 Caucasian participants was genotyped using 5′-nuclease TaqMan assays. Multiple logistic regression was applied to compare individuals of the control group against three different case groups namely CRC cases, high-risk and low-risk polyps. Results : The two investigated SNPs in XRCC1 were not found to be associated with neither CRC risk nor polyp risk. Comparing the CRC cases versus the controls the OR was 0.60 (95%CI 0.27–1.31) for the heterozygous polymorphic genotype of SNP rs1799782 and 1.47 (95%CI 0.81–2.65) for the homozygous polymorphic genotype of SNP rs25487. Comparing the high-risk polyp group versus the controls the OR was 2.64 (95%CI 0.61–11.42) for the homozygous polymorphic genotype of SNP rs1799782 and 0.89 (95%CI 0.60–1.33) for SNP rs25487, respectively. In an haplotype analysis also no statistically significant association was found. Conclusion : Our finding that none of the two investigated SNPs of XRCC1 were significantly associated with risk of CRC or polyps is consistent with the results of a recently published meta-analysis.

Purpose Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is a peptide growth factor that promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis. The bioavailability of IGF1 is regulated by the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3). The purpose of this study was to examine the association of genetic variants in IGF1 (rs6214, rs6220, and rs35767) and IGFBP3 (rs2854744 and rs2854746) with risk of colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer. Methods In this ongoing colorectal cancer study of Austria (CORSA), a total of 3,360 Caucasian participants, consisting of 178 colorectal cancer patients, 328 patients with high risk polyps, 1,059 patients with low risk colorectal polyps, and 1,795 colonoscopy-negative controls, were recruited within a large colorectal screening project in the province Burgenland and from three hospitals in Vienna. Multiple logistic regression was applied to compare individuals of the control group against three different risk groups, namely, colorectal cancer group, high risk polyp group, and low risk polyp group. Results Carriers of the homozygous polymorphic genotype of the SNP rs6214 were associated with an increased colorectal risk (OR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.04–1.90) compared to the colonoscopy-negative controls; this was also found when combining colorectal cancer cases and high risk polyp group (OR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.01–1.90). Conclusion Our results suggest that the SNP rs6214 of IGF1 could have an impact on developing colorectal cancer and colorectal polyps with villous elements.

Telomerase reactivation and expression of human telomerase gene [human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)] are hallmarks of unlimited proliferation potential of cancer cells. A polymorphic tandem repeats minisatellite of hTERT gene, termed MNS16A was reported to influence hTERT expression. To assess the role of MNS16A as potential biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC), we investigated for the first time the association of MNS16A genotypes with risk of colorectal polyps and CRC. In the ongoing colorectal cancer study of Austria (CORSA), 3842 Caucasian participants were recruited within a large screening project in the province Burgenland including 90 CRC cases, 308 high-risk polyps, 1022 low-risk polyps and 1822 polyp free controls verified by colonoscopy. MNS16A genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction from genomic DNA. Associations of MNS16A genotypes with CRC risk were estimated by logistic regression analysis computing odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We identified five different variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) of MNS16A including VNTR-364, a newly discovered rare variant. VNTR-274 allele was associated with a 2.7-fold significantly increased risk of CRC compared with the VNTR-302 wild-type (OR = 2.69; 95% CI = 1.11–6.50; P = 0.028). In our CORSA study, the medium length VNTR-274 was identified as risk factor for CRC. Although, this population-based study herewith reports the largest cohort size concerning MNS16A thus far, further large-scale studies in diverse populations are warranted to confirm hTERT MNS16A genotype as potential biomarker for assessment of CRC risk.