Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men today. Therefore, there is a strong need for accurate biomarkers and successful therapeutic treatments. A novel approach combining a computationally built protein-protein interaction network of proven microRNA protein targets with high throughput proteomics identified ErbB2 and ErbB3 as key proteins in prostate cancer. These results coupled with microRNA array screening of an androgen-independent prostate cancer progression model, substantiated by single microRNA analysis, suggested miR125b as a key tumor suppressor contributing to prostate cancer progression. miR125b expression was shown to be substantially increased in the non-tumorigenic P69 cell line compared to its highly tumorigenic, metastatic M12 variant. Luciferase reporter gene assays including the entire 3’UTR of either ErbB2 or ErbB3 revealed a 2.8- and 2.4-fold decrease (respectively) compared to control vector. Thus, this combinatorial approach has suggested an additional microRNA and its target involved in prostate tumor progression.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:vcu.edu/oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-3725 |
| Date | 30 April 2012 |
| Creators | Weaver, Danielle |
| Publisher | VCU Scholars Compass |
| Source Sets | Virginia Commonwealth University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | © The Author |
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