Photo Credit: Nobi Prizue

The following is a summary of “Prognostic marker VPS72 could promote the malignant progression of prostate cancer,” published in the June 2024 issue of Oncology by Xu et al.

This study aimed to elucidate vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 72 homologs (VPS72) role and underlying mechanisms in prostate cancer (PCa) progression.

Using clinical data and gene expression profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), researchers analyzed VPS72 expression in PCa and investigated its impact on disease progression. COX regression analysis identified VPS72 as an independent prognostic factor for PCa, leading to the development of a nomogram model with robust predictive performance. Additionally, using “pRRophetic,” the study group assessed the sensitivity of PCa to chemotherapeutic agents based on VPS72 expression levels. In vitro assays confirmed that elevated VPS72 expression correlated with increased PCa cell proliferation, migration, and resistance to anti-androgen therapy.

The findings underscored significantly higher VPS72 expression in PCa tissues than normal tissues, correlating with poor prognosis and adverse clinicopathological factors. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed enrichment of VPS72-related genes in pathways involving NF-kB signaling, cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, and chemokine signaling in PCa. Importantly, while PCa cells with lower VPS72 expression exhibited greater sensitivity to chemotherapy, VPS72 knockdown experiments demonstrated reduced migration, proliferation, and anti-androgen resistance.

In conclusion, the study suggests a pivotal role for VPS72 in driving PCa progression and highlights its potential as a prognostic biomarker for the disease. These findings underscore the importance of further research into VPS72-targeted therapies and their utility in personalized medicine for patients with PCa.

Source: bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-024-12488-z