Histone methylation is a dynamic process that participates in a diverse array of cellular processes and has been found to associate with cancer. Recently, several histone demethylases have been identified that catalyze the removal of methylation from histone H3 lysine residues. Through bioinformatic and biochemical analysis, we identified JARID1B as a H3K4 demethylase. Overexpression of JARID1B resulted in loss of tri-, di-, and monomethyl H3K4 but did not affect other histone lysine methylations. In vitro biochemical experiments demonstrated that JARID1B directly catalyzes the demethylation. The enzymatic activity requires the JmjC domain and uses Fe(II) and ␣-ketoglutarate as cofactors. Furthermore, we found that JARID1B is up-regulated in prostate cancer tissues, compared with benign prostate samples. We also demonstrated that JARID1B associates with androgen receptor and regulates its transcriptional activity. Thus, we identified JARID1B as a demethylase capable of removing three methyl groups from histone H3 lysine 4 and up-regulated in prostate cancer. Histone methylation plays an important role in regulating chromatin dynamics and transcription (1). Methylation can occur on either arginine or lysine residues (2). Each lysine can undergo three distinct stages of methylation, having either one (mono), two (di), or three (tri) methyl groups covalently bonded to the amine group of the lysine side chain, and arginine can be mono-or dimethylated (3). Depending on specific residues, methylation can either activate or repress transcription. In general, lysine methylation at H3K9, H3K27, and H4K20 is associated with transcriptional repression, whereas methylation at H3K4, H3K36, and H3K79 is associated with transcriptional activation. However, recent findings have blurred this generality. For example, methylation at H3K9 can result in transcriptional activation, and methylation at H3K36 can repress transcription (4, 5).Methylation had long been considered a stable modification, but recent studies have proved otherwise (6-16). The first histone demethylase identified is LSD1, which can remove di-and monomethylation from H3K4 by using an amine oxidase reaction (8). Subsequently, a JmjC domain-containing protein was identified to possess histone demethylase activity, and the JmjC domain was shown as a demethylase signature motif (9). This class of enzymes catalyzes the removal of methylation by using a hydroxylation reaction and required iron and ␣-ketoglutarate as cofactors. Based on this demethylase signature motif, several proteins were identified to be histone lysine demethylases (6,7,(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16).Prostate cancer is the most common nonskin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer in America. Histone methylation has been suggested to be associated with prostate cancer. For example, it was demonstrated that histone methylations and acetylations can be used to predict the risk of prostate cancer recurrence (17). In addition, EZH2, a H3K27 methyltransferase, is shown to be involved in progression...

Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Sweden. Whereas survival for the overall breast cancer population is well-documented, survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is harder to quantify due to the lack of reliable data on disease recurrence in national cancer registers. Methods This study used machine learning to classify the total MBC population in Sweden diagnosed between 2009 and 2016 using national registers, with the aim to estimate overall survival (OS). Results The total population consisted of 13,832 patients—2528 (18.3%) had de novo MBC whereas 11,304 (81.7%) were classed as having a recurrent MBC. Median OS for patients with MBC was found to be 29.8 months 95% confidence interval (CI) [28.9, 30.6]. Hormone-receptor (HR)-positive MBC had a median OS of 37.0 months 95% CI [35.9, 38.3] compared to 9.9 months 95% CI [9.1, 11.0] for patients with HR-negative MBC. Conclusion This study covered the entire MBC population in Sweden during the study time and may serve as a baseline for assessing the effect of new treatment strategies in MBC introduced after the study period.

Background Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may have a preventive effect against prostate cancer. However, evidence is limited and still controversial, especially considering non-aspirin non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Methods Swedish nationwide population-based cohort study including all long-term (≥180 days) adult male users of aspirin (n = 419,931) or NSAIDs (n = 223,437) followed from the first dispense date until the first cancer diagnosis, death or 31 December 2012, whichever occurred first. The risk of prostate cancer was measured as standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), assessing duration of use, age and concomitant statins intake, comparing to the general male background population of the same age in Sweden.Results The overall SIR suggests that maintenance use of aspirin decreases the risk of prostate cancer (SIR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.85-0.88), in particular if used ≥5 years (SIR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.30-0.32). The overall risk was decreased (SIR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.85-0.90) among other NSAIDs users, and again in particular among longer-term users (≥3 years) with SIR = 0.58 (95% CI 0.53-0.63). When statins users were excluded from all aspirin users, there was no remaining association with prostate cancer (SIR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.96-1.02), only if taken ≥5 years (SIR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.29-0.34). For non-aspirin NSAIDs users, the protective effect remained after exclusion of statins users (SIR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.88-0.95). Conclusions This population-based cohort study provides evidence for a protective effect of aspirin and other NSAIDs against prostate cancer, in particular for longer durations of use, yet concomitant use of statins strongly influences the risk among aspirin users.

Docetaxel has been the standard first-line therapy in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. The survival benefit is, however, limited by either primary or acquired resistance. In this study, Du145 prostate cancer cells were converted to docetaxel-resistant cells Du145-R and Du145-RB by in vitro culturing. Next generation RNAseq was employed to analyze these cell lines. Forty-two genes were identified to have acquired mutations after the resistance development, of which thirty-four were found to have mutations in published sequencing studies using prostate cancer samples from patients. Fourteen novel and 2 previously known fusion genes were inferred from the RNA-seq data, and 13 of these were validated by RT-PCR and/or re-sequencing. Four in-frame fusion transcripts could be transcribed into fusion proteins in stably transfected HEK293 cells, including MYH9-EIF3D and LDLR-RPL31P11, which were specific identified or up-regulated in the docetaxel resistant DU145 cells. A panel of 615 gene transcripts was identified to have significantly changed expression profile in the docetaxel resistant cells. These transcriptional changes have potential for further study as predictive biomarkers and as targets of docetaxel treatment.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40064-016-3543-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Purpose Radium-223 is a life-prolonging therapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients with symptomatic bone metastases. However, validated biomarkers for response monitoring are lacking. The study aim was to investigate whether early alkaline phosphatase (ALP) dynamics after the first radium-223 injection can act as surrogate marker for overall survival (OS). Methods This retrospective multicenter study included consecutive CRPC patients treated with radium-223. Patients were divided into four subgroups based on baseline ALP level (normal/elevated) and early ALP response, defined as ≥10% ALP decrease after the first radium-223 injection. Primary endpoint was OS among the subgroups. Secondary endpoints included time to first skeletal-related event, time to ALP progression, and treatment completion rate. Results A total of 180 patients were included for analysis. Median OS was 13.5 months (95% confidence interval 11.5–15.5). Patients with elevated baseline ALP without ALP response after the first injection had significantly worse OS when compared to all other patients (median OS 7.9 months versus 15.7 months, hazard ratio 2.56, 95% confidence interval 1.73–3.80, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevated baseline ALP without ALP response after the first injection, the number of prior systemic therapies, baseline LDH level, and baseline ECOG performance status were prognostic factors of OS. Patients with elevated baseline ALP without ALP response after the first injection had significantly shorter times to ALP progression and first skeletal-related event, and more frequently discontinued radium-223 therapy when compared to other patients. Conclusion Early treatment–induced changes in ALP after one radium-223 injection were associated with OS in metastatic CRPC patients.