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The following is a summary of “Decreased levels of PTCSC3 promote the deterioration of prostate cancer and affect the prognostic outcome of patients through sponge miR-182-5p,” published in the July 2024 issue of Urology by Cheng et al.

Prostate cancer is a prevalent malignancy characterized by its gradual onset and typically poor prognosis, with incidence rates rising significantly over recent decades. This study aims to elucidate the expression patterns and molecular mechanisms of long non-coding RNA PTCSC3 (PTCSC3) in the context of prostate cancer, with the ultimate goal of identifying novel prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers. To achieve this, researchers quantitatively assessed PTCSC3 levels in serum and cellular samples from patients with prostate cancer using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays. 

The study group examined the correlation between variations in PTCSC3 expression and various clinical indicators, employing Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariable Cox regression analyses to evaluate patient survival outcomes. Furthermore, the experts explored the functional implications of PTCSC3 overexpression on cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion through CCK-8 and Transwell assays. Additionally, investigators investigated the interaction between PTCSC3 and miR-182-5p using bioinformatics tools and luciferase reporter assays to confirm their targeting relationship. 

The results demonstrated that PTCSC3 is significantly downregulated in prostate cancer tissues, and lower levels of PTCSC3 correlate with diminished overall survival in patients. Notably, PTCSC3 appears to influence prostate cancer progression by acting as a sponge for miR-182-5p. Overexpression of PTCSC3 led to a marked suppression of cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion while introducing a miR-182-5p mimic effectively countered the protective effects of PTCSC3 on prostate cancer cells. These findings suggest that PTCSC3 could serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in prostate cancer, regulating tumor progression through its interaction with miR-182-5p. 

Ultimately, this study underscores the importance of PTCSC3 in the molecular landscape of prostate cancer, positioning it as a valuable target for future therapeutic interventions aimed at improving patient outcomes.

Source: bmcurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12894-024-01531-7