GNMT regulation in prostate cancer

Androgen-regulated gene identification in prostate cancer is vital for defining the mechanisms of development and progression, and for developing new markers and therapeutic targets. Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) is a S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase that has been recently identified as an androgen-regulated gene in prostate cancer cells. While the protein function has been extensively addressed, little is known about the androgen regulation mechanism. Ottaviani and colleagues found that GNMT expression is stimulated by androgen in androgen receptor (AR) expressing cells, at the mRNA and protein level. They go on to identify an androgen response element within the first exon of the GNMT gene and demonstrate that AR binds to this element in vitro and in vivo.

Read the full article at Ottaviani et al. (2013) Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 51; 213–224; DOI:10.1530/JME-13-0169