The overall aim of this project is to characterize the """"""""field effect"""""""" of gene methylation in the tumor microenvironment in prostate cancer. We recently discovered that aberrant gene methylation occurs in the stroma and endothelium adjacent to tumor epithelium in prostate cancer patients. This suggests that epigenetic changes such as gene hypermethylation may play a role in the tumor microenvironment. These findings have implications for prostate cancer diagnosis and therpeutic interventions. To pursue these studies, we will conduct an exhaustive examination of promoter methyltion of several genes important in prostate carcinogenesis. Gene methylation profiles in stroma surrounding tumor epitehlium as compared to the tumor itself will be examined.
| Rodriguez-Canales, J; Hanson, J C; Tangrea, M A et al. (2007) Identification of a unique epigenetic sub-microenvironment in prostate cancer. J Pathol 211:410-9 |
| Perry, A S; Loftus, B; Moroose, R et al. (2007) In silico mining identifies IGFBP3 as a novel target of methylation in prostate cancer. Br J Cancer 96:1587-94 |
| Savage, Sharon A; Woodson, Karen; Walk, Elyse et al. (2007) Analysis of genes critical for growth regulation identifies Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 Receptor variations with possible functional significance as risk factors for osteosarcoma. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 16:1667-74 |
| Hanson, Jeffrey A; Gillespie, John W; Grover, Amelia et al. (2006) Gene promoter methylation in prostate tumor-associated stromal cells. J Natl Cancer Inst 98:255-61 |
| Grover, Amelia C; Tangrea, Michael A; Woodson, Karen G et al. (2006) Tumor-associated endothelial cells display GSTP1 and RARbeta2 promoter methylation in human prostate cancer. J Transl Med 4:13 |
