Knockdown of Mediator Complex Subunit 19 Suppresses the Growth and Invasion of Prostate Cancer Cells

PLoS One. 2017 Jan 26;12(1):e0171134. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171134. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in elderly men. Mediator Complex Subunit 19 (Med19) is overexpressed and plays promotional roles in many cancers. However, the roles of Med19 in PCa are still obscure. In this study, by using immunohistochemical staining, we found higher expression level of Med19 in PCa tissues than in adjacent benign prostate tissues. We then knocked down the Med19 expression in PCa cell lines LNCaP and PC3 by using lentivirus siRNA. Cell proliferation, anchor-independent growth, migration, and invasion were suppressed in Med19 knockdown PCa cells. In nude mice xenograft model, we found that Med19 knockdown PCa cells formed smaller tumors with lower proliferation index than did control cells. In the mechanism study, we found that Med19 could regulate genes involved in cell proliferation, cell cycle, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, including P27, pAKT, pPI3K, IGF1R, E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin, Vimentin, ZEB2, Snail-1 and Snail-2. Targeting Med19 in PCa cells could inhibit the PCa growth and metastasis, and might be a therapeutic option for PCa in the future.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics*
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mediator Complex / genetics*
  • Mediator Complex / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / genetics*
  • Prostate / pathology*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • RNA, Small Interfering

Substances

  • MED19 protein, human
  • Mediator Complex
  • RNA, Small Interfering

Grants and funding

This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81302234, http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/); National Natural Science Foundation of China (81572835, http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/); and Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (ZR2013HL070, http://www.sdnsf.gov.cn/portal/).