A basal stem cell signature identifies aggressive prostate cancer phenotypes

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Abstract
Significance: Aggressive cancers often possess functional and molecular traits characteristic of normal stem cells. It is unclear if aggressive phenotypes of prostate cancer molecularly resemble normal stem cells residing within the human prostate. Here, we transcriptionally profiled epithelial populations from the human prostate and show that aggressive prostate cancer is enriched for a prostate basal stem cell signature. Within prostate cancer metastases, histological subtypes had varying enrichment of the stem cell signature, with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma being the most stem cell-like. We further found that small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and the prostate basal stem cell share a common transcriptional program. Targeting normal stem cell transcriptional programs may provide a new strategy for treating advanced prostate cancer.
Funding Information
  • NIH NRSA (NIH T32 CA009120)
  • NIH NCI (NIH U24 CA143858)
  • SU2C/AACR/PCF (DT0812)

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