ERG is a critical regulator of Wnt/LEF1 signaling in prostate cancer

Chromosomal translocations juxtaposing the androgen-responsive TMPRSS2 promoter with the ETS-family transcription factor ERG result in aberrant ERG up-regulation in approximately 50% of prostate cancers. Studies to date have demonstrated important roles of ERG in inducing oncogenic properties of prostate cancer. Its molecular mechanisms of action, however, are yet to be fully understood. To address these questions, we generated engineered LNCaP cells with ERG overexpression followed by LEF1 knockdown as well as control cell lines. To further investigate the role of LEF1 in ERG fusion positive samples, we also knockdown ERG in VCaP cell line. We performed microarray analysis on LNCaP cells with ERG overexpression followed by LEF1 knockdown using siRNA. We also knockdown endogenous ERG in fusion-positive cell line VCaP.