Pyk2: a "keeper" of prostate identity

Pyk2 is tyrosine kinase expressed in normal human prostate epithelia but not in the stromal component of the gland. Pyk2 expression inversely correlated with malignancy of the prostate disappearing in undifferentiated anaplastic prostate tumours and directly correlates with loss of androgen sensitivity. In recent years, the presence of neuroendocrine (NE) cells in diverse tumors has attracted increasing attention because of the intriguing possible link between NE cell differentiation and tumor progression. NE differentiation is a common feature of advanced, androgen-independent prostate cancer for which there is no successful therapy. In vitro, treatment of prostate cell lines with agents able to increase intracellular levels of cAMP induces traits of NE differentiation. The mechanism/s underlying this phenomenon is poorly understood as the gene/s and their mechanism involved in the development and progression of NED. The aim of this study is to investigate whether Pyk2 is part of the mechanism responsible for the acquisition of NE differentiation in prostate epithelial cells.