The lncRNA PCAT29 inhibits oncogenic phenotypes in prostate cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently been associated with the development and progression of a variety of human cancers. However, to date, the interplay between known oncogenic or tumor suppressive events and lncRNAs has not been well described. Here the novel lncRNA, Prostate Cancer-Associated Transcript 29 (PCAT29), is characterized along with its relationship to the androgen receptor (AR). PCAT29 is suppressed by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and up-regulated upon castration therapy in a prostate cancer xenograft model. PCAT29 knockdown significantly increased proliferation and migration of prostate cancer cells, while PCAT29 overexpression conferred the opposite effect and suppressed growth and metastases of prostate tumors in chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays. Finally, in prostate cancer patient specimens, low PCAT29 expression correlated with poor prognostic outcomes. Taken together, these data expose PCAT29 as an androgen regulated tumor suppressor in prostate cancer PCAT29 was knockdown using shRNA in two prostate cancer cell lines VCaP and LNCaP.