ETS-TMPRSS2 fusion gene products in prostate cancer

Genes playing a role in carcinogenesis have often been identified through analysis of recurrent chromosomal rearrangements. Although such rearrangements are well known in leukemias, lymphomas, and sarcomas, they have not been well characterized in carcinomas. In the October 28, 2005 issue of Science, a study by Tomlins et al. uses bioinformatics techniques to identify candidate oncogenic chromosomal changes based on analysis of outlier gene expression. The authors determined that two ETS transcription factors, ERG and ETV1 were outliers in prostate cancer. The group reports recurrent fusions of the 5' untranslated region of the TMPRSS2 gene to ERG and ETV1 in the majority of prostate cancer samples containing the outlier expression. In cell lines containing the fusion gene, androgen appears to play a role in mediating ETS overexpression. This fusion gene product may play an important role in the development, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer.