High expression of ladinin-1 (LAD1) predicts adverse outcomes: a new candidate docetaxel resistance gene for prostatic cancer (PCa)

Docetaxel resistance is one of the major obstacles that undermine the treatment outcome of PCa. Exploring molecular mechanisms associated with docetaxel resistance could provide insights into the formulation of novel strategies enhancing the efficacy of PCa treatment. Ladinin-1 (LAD1) is an anchoring filament protein in basement membranes, which contributes to the association of the epithelial cells with the underlying mesenchyme. LAD1 has been implicated in the progression of different cancers. However, its role in PCa remains to be investigated. In the present study, we found that LAD1 was highly expressed in docetaxel-resistant PCa cells, while its expression was significantly suppressed in tumor samples after docetaxel treatment. Moreover, the expression level of LAD1 in PCa tissues was significantly higher than that of normal tissue, and high expression level of LAD1 was significantly associated with adverse outcomes of PCa patients. Finally, high expression of LAD1 in PCa tissue was also correlated with the expression level of genes involving in tumor cell proliferation and invasive behaviors. Collectively, our data suggest that LAD1 may serve as a potential prognostic factor in PCa patients.