Lixin Zhou

PLZF Mediates the PTEN/AKT/FOXO3a Signaling in Suppression of Prostate Tumorigenesis

Promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF) protein expression is closely related to the progression of human cancers, including prostate cancer (PCa). However, the according context of a signaling pathway for PLZF to suppress prostate tumorigenesis remains greatly unknown. Here we report that PLZF is a downstream mediator of the PTEN signaling pathway in PCa. We found that PLZF expression is closely correlated with PTEN expression in a cohort of prostate cancer specimens. Interestingly, both PTEN rescue and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 treatment increase the PLZF expression in prostate cancer cell lines. Further, luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrate that FOXO3a, a transcriptional factor phosphorylated by PI3K/AKT, could directly bind to the promoter of PLZF gene. These results indicate that PTEN regulates PLZF expression by AKT/FOXO3a. Moreover, our animal experiments also demonstrate that PLZF is capable of inhibiting prostate tumorigenesis in vivo. Taken together, our study defines a PTEN/PLZF pathway and would shed new lights for developing therapeutic strategy of prostate cancer.

Prognostic nutritional index predicts initial response to treatment and prognosis in metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer patients treated with abiraterone

To determine if prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and its variation could predict initial response to treatment and prognosis in metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients treated with Abiraterone (AA).

Influence of abiraterone acetate on neuroendocrine differentiation in chemotherapy-naive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

To determine the influence of abiraterone Acetate (AA) on neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in patients with chemotherapy‐naive metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Systemic immune-inflammation index predicts the combined clinical outcome after sequential therapy with abiraterone and docetaxel for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients

To compare the antitumor effect of abiraterone (AA) followed by docetaxel‐prednisone (DP) or vice versa in metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients, and explored factors that might predict combined PSA‐PFS, combined rPFS and OS.

Serum Pre-Albumin Predicts the Clinical Outcome in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With Abiraterone

Objective To determine the prognostic utility of serum pre-albumin in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients treated with abiraterone (AA). Patients and Methods 112 chemotherapy pretreated or chemotherapy-naive patients were scheduled for systemic treatment with AA. Serum pre-albumin levels were measured before and after 3 months of AA treatment. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine prognostic factors that were associated with PSA progression-free survival (PSA-PFS), radiographic PFS (rPFS) and overall survival (OS). The Harrell concordance index with variables only or combined pre-albumin data were used to evaluate the prognostic accuracy. Results The group of patients with baseline pre-albumin value ≥20mg/dL had a longer OS, PSA-PFS, rPFS than those with pre-albumin value <20mg/dL. Based on the values of pre-albumin before and after 3 months of AA treatment, we divided these patients into 4 groups: high-high, high-low, low-high and low-low group. High- high group showed a significantly better OS, PSA-PFS, rPFS than other 3 groups. In multivariate analysis, low pre-albumin level remained significant predictors of OS (HR, 13.2; P<0.001), rPFS (HR, 3.7; P=0.003) and PSA-PFS (HR, 8.7; P<0.001). The estimated c-index of the multivariate model for OS increased from 0.814 without pre-albumin to 0.845 when pre-albumin added. Conclusion Low pretreatment serum pre-albumin is a negative independent prognosticator of survival outcomes in mCRPC treated with AA and also increases the accuracy of established prognostic model. Serial pre-albumin evaluation might help clinicians guide clinical treatment of mCRPC patients.