Biomaterial Database

Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism influences aggressive behavior in prostate cancer cells by deregulating cholesterol homeostasis. 2013

Godwin O Ifere, and Renee Desmond, and Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, and Tim R Nagy

Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.

High circulating cholesterol and its deregulated homeostasis may facilitate prostate cancer progression. Genetic polymorphism in Apolipoprotein (Apo) E, a key cholesterol regulatory protein may effect changes in systemic cholesterol levels. In this investigation, we determined whether variants of the Apo E gene can trigger defective intracellular cholesterol efflux, which could promote aggressive prostate cancer. ApoE genotypes of weakly (non-aggressive), moderate and highly tumorigenic (aggressive) prostate cancer cell lines were characterized, and we explored whether the ApoE variants were associated with tumor aggressiveness generated by intra-cellular cholesterol imbalance, using the expression of caveolin-1 (cav-1), a pro-malignancy surrogate of cholesterol overload. Restriction isotyping of ApoE isoforms revealed that the non-aggressive cell lines carried ApoE ε3/ε3 or ε3/ε4 alleles, while the aggressive cell lines carried the Apoε2/ε4 alleles. Our data suggest a contrast between the non-aggressive and the aggressive prostate cancer cell lines in the pattern of cholesterol efflux and cav-1 expression. Our exploratory results suggest a relationship between prostate aggressiveness, ApoE isoforms and cholesterol imbalance. Further investigation of this relationship may elucidate the molecular basis for considering cholesterol as a risk factor of aggressive prostate tumors, and underscore the potential of the dysfunctional ApoE2/E4 isoform as a biomarker of aggressive disease.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011110	Polymorphism, Genetic	The regular and simultaneous occurrence in a single interbreeding population of two or more discontinuous genotypes. The concept includes differences in genotypes ranging in size from a single nucleotide site (POLYMORPHISM, SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE) to large nucleotide sequences visible at a chromosomal level.	Gene Polymorphism,Genetic Polymorphism,Polymorphism (Genetics),Genetic Polymorphisms,Gene Polymorphisms,Polymorphism, Gene,Polymorphisms (Genetics),Polymorphisms, Gene,Polymorphisms, Genetic
D011471	Prostatic Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the PROSTATE.	Cancer of Prostate,Prostate Cancer,Cancer of the Prostate,Neoplasms, Prostate,Neoplasms, Prostatic,Prostate Neoplasms,Prostatic Cancer,Cancer, Prostate,Cancer, Prostatic,Cancers, Prostate,Cancers, Prostatic,Neoplasm, Prostate,Neoplasm, Prostatic,Prostate Cancers,Prostate Neoplasm,Prostatic Cancers,Prostatic Neoplasm
D002784	Cholesterol	The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.	Epicholesterol
D006706	Homeostasis	The processes whereby the internal environment of an organism tends to remain balanced and stable.	Autoregulation
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000483	Alleles	Variant forms of the same gene, occupying the same locus on homologous CHROMOSOMES, and governing the variants in production of the same gene product.	Allelomorphs,Allele,Allelomorph
D001057	Apolipoproteins E	A class of protein components which can be found in several lipoproteins including HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS; VERY-LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS; and CHYLOMICRONS. Synthesized in most organs, Apo E is important in the global transport of lipids and cholesterol throughout the body. Apo E is also a ligand for LDL receptors (RECEPTORS, LDL) that mediates the binding, internalization, and catabolism of lipoprotein particles in cells. There are several allelic isoforms (such as E2, E3, and E4). Deficiency or defects in Apo E are causes of HYPERLIPOPROTEINEMIA TYPE III.	Apo-E,Apo E,Apo E Isoproteins,ApoE,Apolipoprotein E Isoproteins,Apoprotein (E),Apoproteins E,Isoproteins, Apo E,Isoproteins, Apolipoprotein E
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D015972	Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in neoplastic tissue.	Neoplastic Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Neoplastic,Regulation, Gene Expression, Neoplastic