RGD Reference Report - ATM protein overexpression in prostate tumors: possible role in telomere maintenance. - Rat Genome Database

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ATM protein overexpression in prostate tumors: possible role in telomere maintenance.

Authors: Angele, S  Falconer, A  Foster, CS  Taniere, P  Eeles, RA  Hall, J 
Citation: Angele S, etal., Am J Clin Pathol. 2004 Feb;121(2):231-6.
RGD ID: 2293870
Pubmed: PMID:14983937   (View Abstract at PubMed)
DOI: DOI:10.1309/JTKG-GGKU-RFX3-XMGT   (Journal Full-text)

It has been postulated that telomere dysfunction and telomerase activation have important roles in prostate tumorigenesis. Since the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated gene product (ATM protein) is involved in maintaining telomere length and integrity, we hypothesized that its expression might be altered in prostate tumors and, thus, examined its profile in 49 tumor samples. The majority (32/49) had ATM protein levels higher than those observed in normal tissues, with only 5 of 49 tissue samples showing reduced or absent ATM levels. Three of these were from the group of 6 young-onset or sibling-pair tumors. There was a trend toward higher ATM expression in tumors with a higher Gleason score (23/32 [72%] for grade 8-10 vs 9/17 [53%] for grades 5-7), although this difference was not statistically significant. These findings support our hypothesis that the presence of the ATM protein at the same or a higher level than that in normal prostate cells might have an important role in the maintenance of the shortened telomeres commonly found in prostate cancer cells.

RGD Manual Disease Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View
TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
Prostatic Neoplasms  IEP 2293870protein:increased expression:prostate glandRGD 
Prostatic Neoplasms  ISOATM (Homo sapiens)2293870; 2293870protein:increased expression:prostate glandRGD 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Atm  (ATM serine/threonine kinase)

Genes (Mus musculus)
Atm  (ataxia telangiectasia mutated)

Genes (Homo sapiens)
ATM  (ATM serine/threonine kinase)


Additional Information