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. 2018 Aug 3;7:1189. [Version 1] doi: 10.12688/f1000research.15604.1

Androgen-dependent alternative mRNA isoform expression in prostate cancer cells

Jennifer Munkley 1,a, Teresa M Maia 2,3, Nekane Ibarluzea 1,4,5, Karen E Livermore 1, Daniel Vodak 6, Ingrid Ehrmann 1, Katherine James 7,8, Prabhakar Rajan 9, Nuno L Barbosa-Morais 2, David J Elliott 1
PMCID: PMC6143958  PMID: 30271587

Abstract

Background: Androgen steroid hormones are key drivers of prostate cancer. Previous work has shown that androgens can drive the expression of alternative mRNA isoforms as well as transcriptional changes in prostate cancer cells. Yet to what extent androgens control alternative mRNA isoforms and how these are expressed and differentially regulated in prostate tumours is unknown.

Methods: Here we have used RNA-Seq data to globally identify alternative mRNA isoform expression under androgen control in prostate cancer cells, and profiled the expression of these mRNA isoforms in clinical tissue.

Results: Our data indicate androgens primarily switch mRNA isoforms through alternative promoter selection. We detected 73 androgen regulated alternative transcription events, including utilisation of 56 androgen-dependent alternative promoters, 13 androgen-regulated alternative splicing events, and selection of 4 androgen-regulated alternative 3′ mRNA ends. 64 of these events are novel to this study, and 26 involve previously unannotated isoforms. We validated androgen dependent regulation of 17 alternative isoforms by quantitative PCR in an independent sample set. Some of the identified mRNA isoforms are in genes already implicated in prostate cancer (including LIG4, FDFT1 and RELAXIN), or in genes important in other cancers (e.g. NUP93 and MAT2A). Importantly, analysis of transcriptome data from 497 tumour samples in the TGCA prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) cohort identified 13 mRNA isoforms (including TPD52, TACC2 and NDUFV3) that are differentially regulated in localised prostate cancer relative to normal tissue, and 3 ( OSBPL1A, CLK3 and TSC22D3) which change significantly with Gleason grade and  tumour stage.

Conclusions: Our findings dramatically increase the number of known androgen regulated isoforms in prostate cancer, and indicate a highly complex response to androgens in prostate cancer cells that could be clinically important.

Keywords: Androgens, AR, prostate cancer, alternative splicing, alternative promoters, alternative 3' ends, transcription, mRNA isoforms

Introduction

A single human gene can potentially yield a diverse array of alternative mRNA isoforms, thereby expanding both the repertoire of gene products and subsequently the number of alternative proteins produced. mRNAs with different exon combinations are transcribed from most (up to 90%) human genes, and can generate variants that differ in regulatory untranslated regions, or encode proteins with different sub-cellular localisations and functions 15. Altered splicing patterns have been suggested as a new hallmark of cancer cells 68, and in prostate cancer there is emerging evidence that expression of specific mRNA isoforms derived from cancer-relevant genes may contribute to disease progression 911.

Androgen steroid hormones and the androgen receptor (AR) play a key role in the development and progression of prostate cancer, with alternative splicing enabling cancer cells to produce constitutively active ARs 1113. The AR belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors, and is essential for prostate cancer cell survival, proliferation and invasion 1416. Classically, androgen binding promotes AR dimerization and its translocation to the nucleus, where it acts as either a transcriptional activator or a transcriptional repressor to dictate prostate specific gene expression patterns 1723. The major focus for prostate cancer therapeutics has been to reduce androgen levels through androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), either with inhibitors of androgen synthesis (for example, abiraterone) or with antagonists that prevent androgen binding to the AR (such as bicalutamide or enzalutamide) 24. Although ADT is usually initially effective, most patients ultimately develop lethal castrate resistant disease for which there are limited treatment options 11, 12.

Androgens and other steroid hormones have also been associated with alternative splicing. Recent RNA-sequencing-based analysis of the androgen response of prostate cancer cells grown in vitro and within patients following ADT identified a set of 700 genes whose transcription is regulated by the AR in prostate cancer cells 25. However, in addition to regulating transcriptional levels, steroid hormone receptors can control exon content of mRNA 10, 2629. In prostate cancer androgens can modulate the expression of mRNA isoforms via pre-mRNA processing and promoter selection 9, 10, 18, 30. The AR can recruit the RNA binding proteins Sam68 and p68 as cofactors to influence alternative splicing of specific genes, and studies using minigenes driven from steroid responsive promoters indicate that the AR can affect both the transcriptional activity and alternative splicing of a subset of target genes 11, 31, 32. Other steroid hormones also coordinate both transcription and splicing decisions 29. The thyroid hormone receptor (TR) is known to play a role in coordinating the regulation of transcription and alternative splicing 27, and the oestrogen receptor (ER) can both regulate alternative promoter selection and induce alternative splicing of specific gene sets that can influence breast cancer cell behaviour 28, 3335.

In previous work we used exon level microarray analysis to identify 7 androgen dependent changes in mRNA isoform expression 10. However, to what extent androgen-regulated mRNA isoforms are expressed in clinical prostate cancer is unclear. To address this, here we have used RNA-Sequencing data to globally profile alternative isoform expression in prostate cancer cells exposed to androgens, and correlated the results with transcriptomic data from clinical tissue. Our findings increase the number of known AR regulated mRNA isoforms by 10 fold and imply that pre-mRNA processing is an important mechanism through which androgens regulate gene expression in prostate cancer.

Methods

Cell culture

Cell culture was as described previously 25, 36. All cells were grown at 37°C in 5% CO 2. LNCaP cells (CRL-1740, ATCC) were maintained in RPMI-1640 with L-Glutamine (PAA Laboratories, R15-802) supplemented with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) (PAA Laboratories, A15-101). For androgen treatment of cells, medium was supplemented with 10% dextran charcoal stripped FBS (PAA Laboratories, A15-119) to produce a steroid-deplete medium. Following culture for 72 hours, 10 nM synthetic androgen analogue methyltrienolone (R1881) (Perkin-Elmer, NLP005005MG) was either added (Androgen +) or absent (Steroid deplete) for the times indicated.

RNA-Seq analysis

RNA-seq transcript expression analysis of previously generated data 25 was performed according to the Tuxedo protocol 37. All reads were first mapped to human transcriptome/genome (build hg19) with TopHat 38/Bowtie 39, followed by per-sample transcript assembly with Cufflinks 40. The mapped data was processed with Cuffmerge, Cuffdiff and Cuffcompare, followed by extraction of significantly differentially expressed genes/isoforms; expression changes between cells grown with androgen and cells grown without androgens were assessed. Reference files for the human genome (UCSC build hg19) were downloaded from the Cufflinks pages: ( UCSC-hg19 package from June 2012 was used.). The software versions used for the analysis were: TopHat v1.4.1, SAM tools Version: 0.1.18 (r982:295), bowtie version 0.12.8 (64-bit) and cufflinks v1.3.0 (linked against Boost version 104000). The Tuxedo protocol 37 was carried out as follows: For steps 1–5, no parameters (except for paths to input/output files) were altered. In step 15, additional switches -s, -R, and -C were used when running cuffcompare. Steps 16–18 (extraction of significant results) were performed on the command line.

RNA extraction, RT–PCR and real-time PCR

Cells were harvested and total RNA extracted using TRIzol (Invitrogen, 15596-026) according to manufacturer's instructions. RNA was treated with DNase 1 (Ambion, AM2222) and cDNA was generated by reverse transcription of 500ng of total RNA using the Superscript VILO cDNA synthesis kit (Invitrogen, 11754-050). Alternative events were analysed by either reverse transcriptase PCR or real-time PCR. Exon profiles were monitored and quantified using the Qiaxcel capillary electrophoresis system (Qiagen) and percentage inclusion was calculated as described previously 10. Real time PCR was performed in triplicate on cDNA using SYBR® Green PCR Master Mix (Invitrogen, 4309155) and the QuantStudio 7 Flex Real-Time PCR System (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Samples were normalised using the average of three reference genes, GAPDH, β -tubulin and actin. Ct values for each sample were calculated using SDS 2.4 software (Applied Biosystems) and relative mRNA expression was calculated using the 2-ΔΔCt method. All primer sequences are listed in Supplementary Table 1. Raw Ct values are given in Dataset 1 41.

Antibodies

The following commercial antibodies were used in the study: anti-RLN2 rabbit monoclonal (Abcam, ab183505 1:1000 dilution), anti-TACC2 rabbit polyclonal antibody (11407-1-AP, Proteintech 1:500 dilution), anti-NDUFV3 rabbit polyclonal antibody (13430-1-AP, Proteintech 1:500 dilution), anti-actin rabbit polyclonal (A2668, Sigma 1:2000 dilution), anti-α-Tubulin mouse monoclonal (Sigma, T5168 1:2000 dilution), normal rabbit IgG (711-035-152, Jackson labs 1:2000 dilution) and normal mouse IgG (715-036-150, Jackson labs 1:2000 dilution).

Gene ontology analysis

Gene ontology (GO) analysis of RNA-Seq data was carried out as described previously 42. Enrichment of GO terms (with b500 annotations) was calculated using the goseq R package (version 1.18.0). Genes were considered significant at a p-value threshold of 0.05 after adjustment using the Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate.

Bioinformatic analysis of patient transcriptome data

Available clinical and processed RNA-Seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) cohort, comprising 497 tumour samples from as many patients with different stages / Gleason grades and 52 matched samples taken from normal prostate tissue (were downloaded from the Broad Institute TCGA Genome Analysis Center (Firehose 16/01/28 run https://doi.org/10.7908/C11G0KM9 43). Transcriptome data from the TCGA PRAD cohort were analysed for alternative isoform expression, with transcript models relying on TCGA GAF2.1, corresponding to the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) genome annotation from June 2011 ( hg19 assembly). This annotation encompassed 42 of the 73 androgen-regulated alternative mRNA isoform pairs identified. These were studied using two types of analysis: 1) differential transcript expression between tumour and normal prostate tissue and 2) correlation between isoform expression in tumour samples and Gleason score or tumour stage.

Differential isoform and gene expression analysis was performed on estimated read counts using the limma software R package (version 3.7) following its RNA-Seq analysis workflow 44. This workflow was also used for differential isoform ratio analysis, relying on logit-transformed ratio (see below). An FDR-adjusted p-value of 0.05 for the moderated t-statistics was used as threshold for significance of differential expression. Individual isoform expression was estimated in TPM (transcripts per million mapped reads). The expression ratio, henceforth called PSI (percent spliced-in), of each annotated androgen-regulated isoform pair in each TCGA sample was calculated as the ratio between the expression of isoform 1 and the total expression of isoforms 1 and 2 combined, i.e. the sum of their expressions. For each isoform pair, ΔPSI is the difference of median PSI between the tumour and the normal groups of samples.

Two-tailed Spearman’s rank correlation tests were used to study the association between isoform expression and both Gleason score and tumour stage (these were used herein as numeric variables). An FDR-adjusted p-value of 0.05 was used as threshold for significance. Isoform expression differences between tumour and normal samples were considered equivalent to those detected in LNCaP cells under androgen stimulation when there was a statistically significant consistent change in the levels of the expected induced or repressed isoform (1 or 2), concomitant with no contradictory change in the PSI. Isoform “switches” were considered equivalent when there was a minimum (ΔPSI > 2.5%) and statistically significant consistent change in the PSI. Equivalent criteria were used to evaluate the equivalence between androgen-dependence and the associations with Gleason score and tumour stage.

Statistical analysis

Statistical analyses were conducted using the GraphPad Prism software (version 5.04/d). PCR quantification of mRNA isoforms was assessed using the unpaired student’s t-test.

Data is presented as the mean of three independent samples ± standard error of the mean (SEM). Statistical significance is denoted as * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001 and **** p ≤ 0.0001.

Results

Global identification of androgen-dependent mRNA isoform production in prostate cancer cells predicts a major role for alternative promoter utilisation

We analysed previously published RNAseq data from LNCaP cells 25 to globally profile how frequently androgens drive production of alternative mRNA isoforms in prostate cancer cells. This analysis identified a group of 73 androgen regulated alternative mRNA isoforms, which could be validated by visualisation on the UCSC Genome Browser 45 ( Table 1). 64 AR regulated mRNA isoforms were novel to this study. Experimental validation in an independent RNA sample set using RT-PCR confirmed 17/17 of these alternative events at the mRNA level ( Supplementary Figure 1). 73% of genes (53/73) with identified alternative androgen regulated mRNA isoforms also changed their overall expression levels in response to androgens ( Table 2). Some of the androgen regulated alternative events are in genes are already implicated in in either prostate cancer or other cancer types (summarised in Table 3). However, Gene Ontology analysis of these 73 genes did not identify any significantly enriched biological processes.

Table 1. Details of the 73 androgen regulated mRNA isoforms identified in prostate cancer cells.

Isoform 1 Isoform 2 TCGA PRAD
Gene Event type Position (hg19) RefSeq Position (hg19) RefSeq Change with
androgens
PCR
Validation
Predicted
to change
protein?
Isoform 1 ID Isoform 2 ID Comparable?
LIG4 Alternative
promoter
chr13:108859792-
108870716
NM_001098268.1 chr13:108859792-
108867130
NM_002312.3 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes (Qiaxel) No (5'
UTR)
uc001vqp.2 uc001vqn.2 Yes
TACC2 Alternative
promoter
chr10:123748689-
124014060
NM_206862.3 chr10:123872554-
124014060
NM_001291879.1 Repression of promoter 1 Yes (Qiaxel) Yes uc001lfv.2 uc001lfx.2 Yes
TPD52 Alternative
promoter
chr8:80947103-
81083894
NM_001287144.1 chr8:80947103-
80993066
NM_001025252.2 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes (Qiaxel) Yes uc003ybs.1 uc003ybr.1 Yes
NUP93 Alternative
promoter
chr16:56764017-
56878861
NM_014669.4 chr16:56815704-
56878861
NM_001242795.1 Induction of
promoter 1
Yes (SYBR) Yes uc002eka.2 uc002ekb.2 Yes
RLN1 Alternative
promoter
chr9:5334932-
5339873
NM_006911.3 chr9:5335270-
5339396
Not annotated Repression of
promoter 2
Yes (Qiaxel) Yes
(change
from non-
coding)
uc003zjb.1 Not
annotated
No
AP2S1 Alternative
promoter
chr19:47341415-
47354252
NM_001301078.1 chr19:47341415-
47353547
NM_001301076.1 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes (SYBR) Yes uc002pft.1 Not
annotated
No
RLN2 Alternative
promoter
chr9:5299866-
5304611
NM_005059.3 chr9:5299890-
5304222
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 1
Yes (Qiaxel) Yes
(change
from non-
coding)
uc003ziz.1 Not
annotated
No
PIK3R1 Alternative
promoter
chr5:67511584-
67597649
NM_181523.2 chr5:67584252-
67597649
NM_181524.1 Repression of
promoter 2
Yes (SYBR) Yes uc003jva.2 uc003jvc.2 Yes
MAPRE2 Alternative
promoter
chr18:32556892-
32723432
NM_001143826.2 chr18:32621324-
32723432
NM_014268.3 Switch to
promoter 2
Yes (Qiaxel) Yes uc010xcb.1 uc002kyf.2 Yes
NDUFAF4 Alternative
promoter
chr6:97337187-
97345767
NM_014165.3 chr6:97337227-
97345368
Not annotated Repression of
promoter 2
Yes (Qiaxel) Yes
(change
from non-
coding)
uc003pov.2 Not
annotated
No
DCXR Alternative
promoter
chr17:79993757-
79995573
NM_016286.3 chr17:79993765-
79995217
Not annotated Repression of
promoter 2
Yes (Qiaxel) Yes uc002kdg.2 Not
annotated
No
PEX10 Alternative
promoter
chr1:2336241-
2344010
NM_002617.3 Not annotated Switch to
promoter 2
Yes (Qiaxel) Yes uc001ajh.2 Not
annotated
No
SNAPC2 Alternative
promoter
chr19:7985194-
7988136
NM_003083.3 chr19:7985867-
7988136
NR_030717.1 Switch to
promoter 2
Yes (SYBR) Yes
(change
to non-
coding)
uc002miw.1 uc002mix.1 Yes
ATP6V0D1 Alternative
promoter
chr16:67471917-
67515089
NM_004691.4 chr16:67471931-
67475338
Not annotated Repression of
promoter 2
Yes uc002ete.1 Not
annotated
No
ARRDC1 Alternative
promoter
chr9:140500092-
140509812
NM_001317968.1 chr9:140506874-
140509793
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 2
Yes
(change
to non-
coding)
uc004cnp.1 Not
annotated
No
DENND1A Alternative
promoter
chr9:126141933-
126692417
NM_020946.1 chr9:126143408-
126586780
Not annotated Repression of
promoter 2
Yes uc004bnz.1 Not
annotated
No
KLHL36 Alternative
promoter
chr16:84682117-
84701292
NM_024731.3 chr16:84684274-
84701134
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc002fig.2 Not
annotated
No
RAB3IL1 Alternative
promoter
chr11:61664768-
61687741
NM_001271686.1 chr11:61664768-
61685081
NM_013401.3 Repression of
promoter 2
Yes uc001nsp.2 uc001nso.2 Yes
ACER3 Alternative
promoter
chr11:76571917-
76737841
NM_018367.6 chr11:76631206-
76737818
Not annotated Repression of
promoter 2
Yes uc009yum.1 Not
annotated
No
OSBPL1A Alternative
promoter
chr18:21742011-
21977833
NM_080597.3 chr18:21742011-
21852196
NM_018030.4 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc002kve.2 uc002kvd.2 Yes
TRIM16 Alternative
promoter
chr17:15531280-
15586193
NM_006470.3 chr17:15530970-
15555735
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc002gow.2 Not
annotated
No
VSIG10L Alternative
promoter
chr19:51834795-
51845378
NM_001163922.1 chr19:51834795-
51843009
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 1
Yes uc002pwf.2 Not
annotated
No
SEPT5 Alternative
promoter
chr22:19701987-
19710845
NM_002688.5 chr22:19705958-
19710845
NM_001009939.2 Repression of
promoter 2
Yes uc002zpv.1 uc002zpw.1 Yes
HMGCR Alternative
promoter
chr5:74632154-
74657926
NM_000859 chr5:74632993-
74657926
NM_000859.2 Repression of
promoter 1
Yes uc011cst.1 uc003kdp.2 Yes
RDH13 Alternative
promoter
chr19:55555692-
55580914
NM_138412.3 chr19:55555692-
55574585
NM_001145971.1 Induction of
promoter 1
Yes uc002qip.2 uc010esr.1 Yes
GPRIN2 Alternative
promoter
chr10:46993001-
47000677
Not annotated chr10:46993546-
47000568
NM_014696.3 Repression of
promoter 2
No (5' UTR) Not annotated uc001jec.2 No
CLK3 Alternative
promoter
chr15:74900713-
74922542
NM_003992.4 chr15:74,908,246-
74,922,542
NM_003992 Repression of
promoter 1
Yes uc002ayg.3 uc002ayj.3 Yes
RNH1 Alternative
promoter
chr11:494512-
507283
NM_203387.2 chr11:494512-
506821
NM_002939.3 Induction of
promoter 1
No (5' UTR) uc001lpp.1 uc001lpl.1 Yes
ZFAND6 Alternative
promoter
chr15:80351910-
80430735
NM_001242911.1 chr15:80364903-
80430735
NM_001242916.1 Repression of
promoter 2
No (5' UTR) uc002bff.1 uc002bfh.1 Yes
CDIP1 Alternative
promoter
chr16:4560677-
4588816
NM_013399.2 chr16:4560677-
4588471
NM_001199054.1 Repression of
promoter 2
No (5' UTR) uc002cwu.2 uc002cwv.2 Yes
YIF1B Alternative
promoter
chr19:38794200-
38806606
NM_001039672.2 chr19:38794200-
38806445
NM_001145461.1 Switch to
promoter 2
Yes uc002ohz.2 uc002ohx.2 Yes
LIMK2 Alternative
promoter
chr22:31608250-
31676066
NM_005569.3 chr22:31644348-
31676066
NM_016733.2 Switch to
promoter 2
Yes uc003akh.2 uc003aki.2 Yes
TSC22D3 Alternative
promoter
chrX:106956452-
106959711
NM_001015881.1 chrX:106956452-
106960291
NM_004089.3 Repression of
promoter 1
Yes uc004enf.2 uc004eng.2 Yes
ALDH1A3 Alternative
promoter
chr15:101419897-
101456830
NM_000693.3 chr15:101438281-
101457072
Not annotated Repression of
promoter 1
Yes uc002bwn.3 Not
annotated
No
TRABD Alternative
promoter
chr22:50624341-
50638028
NM_001320485.1 chr22:50628979-
50638028
NM_001320487.1 Switch to
promoter 2
No (5' UTR) uc003bjq.1 uc003bjs.1 Yes
LIMCH1 Alternative
promoter
chr4:41361624-
41702061
NM_001289124.1 chr4:41362648-
41702061
NM_001289122.2 Repression of
promoter 2
Yes uc003gvu.3 Not
annotated
No
GMFB Alternative
promoter
chr14:54941209-
54955744
NM_004124.2 chr14:54941314-
54955637
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 2
Yes
(change
to non-
coding)
uc010tqz.1 Not
annotated
No
MLST8 Alternative
promoter
chr16:2255178-
2259418
NM_022372.4 chr16:2255732-
2259418
NM_001199174.1 Switch to
promoter 1
No (5' UTR) uc010uvy.1 uc002cpf.2 Yes
TLE3 Alternative
promoter
chr15:70340130-
70390256
NM_020908.2 chr15:70340130-
70387124
NM_001282982.1 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc002asn.2 uc002ask.2 Yes
UBA1 Alternative
promoter
chrX:47050199-
47074527
NM_153280.2 chrX:47053201-
47074527
NM_003334.3 Repression of
promoter 1
No (5' UTR) uc004dhj.3 uc004dhk.3 Yes
TNRC6B Alternative
promoter
chr22:40440821-
40731812
NM_001024843.1 chr22:40573929-
40731812
NM_001162501.1 Repression of
promoter 2
Yes uc003aym.2 uc011aor.1 Yes
FDFT1 Alternative
promoter
chr8:11660120-
11696818
NM_004462.4 chr8:11665926-
11696818
NM_001287750.1 Repression of
promoter 2
Yes uc003wui.2 uc010lsb.2 Yes
GREB1 Alternative
promoter
chr2:11674242-
11782912
NM_014668.3 chr2:11680080-
11728355
NM_148903.2 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc002rbo.1 uc002rbl.2 Yes
NCAPD3 Alternative
promoter
chr11:134022337-
134094426
NM_015261.2 chr11:134022772-
134093593
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc001qhd.1 Not
annotated
No
SLC36A4 Alternative
promoter
chr11:92877337-
92931141
NM_152313.3 chr11:92877337-
92930621
NM_001286139.1 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc001pdn.2 Not
annotated
No
KLC2 Alternative
promoter
chr11:66024765-
66035331
NM_001134775.1 chr11:66025174-
66035331
NM_022822.2 Repression of
promoter 1
No (5' UTR) uc010rov.1 uc001ohb.2 Yes
RAP1GAP Alternative
promoter
chr1:21922708-
21978348
NM_001145658.1 chr1:21922533-
21946950
Not annotated Repression of
promoter 1
Yes uc001bez.1 Not
annotated
No
TMEM79 Alternative
promoter
chr1:156252704-
156262234
NR_026678.1 chr1:156254070-
156262234
NM_032323.2 Repression of
promoter 1
No (5' UTR) uc001fod.2 uc010phi.1 Yes
NR4A1 Alternative
promoter
chr12:52416616-
52453291
NM_001202233.1 chr12:52445186-
52453291
NM_173157.2 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc010sno.1 uc001rzr.2 Yes
ZNF32 Alternative
promoter
chr10:44139307-
44144326
NM_001324166.1 chr10:44139307-
44144326
NM_001324167.1 Repression of
promoter 2
No (5' UTR) uc001jbc.2 uc001jbb.2 Yes
C1QTNF3 Alternative
promoter
chr5:34017963-
34043371
NM_181435.5 chr5:34018571-
34035881
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 1
Yes uc003jio.2 Not
annotated
No
UBE2D3 Alternative
promoter
chr4:103715540-
103748710
NM_181887.2 chr4:103715540-
103749105
NM_181886.3 Switch to
promoter 2
No (5' UTR) uc003hwk.2 uc011cet.1 Yes
KRT8 Alternative
promoter
chr12:53290971-
53343650
NM_001256293.1 chr12:53,290,971-
53,298,868
NM_002273 Repression of
promoter 1
No (5' UTR) uc009zml.1 uc001sbd.2 Yes
ELOVL1 Alternative
promoter
chr1:43829068-
43833745
NM_022821.3 chr1:43829093-
43832057
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 2
Yes
(change
to non-
coding)
uc001cjb.2 Not
annotated
No
RCAN1 Alternative
promoter
chr21:35888740-
35987441
NM_004414.6 chr21:35888740-
35899308
NM_203418.2 Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc002yue.2 uc002yub.2 Yes
SORBS3 Alternative
promoter
chr8:22409251-
22433008
NM_005775.4 chr8:22422332-
22433100
Not annotated Induction of
promoter 2
Yes uc003xbv.2 Not
annotated
No
MAT2A Alternative
3' end
chr2:85766101-
85772403
NM_005911.5 chr2:85,766,101-
85,770,775
NM_005911 Repression of
isoform 2
Yes (Qiaxel) Yes uc002spr.2 uc010ysr.1 Yes
CNNM2 Alternative
3' end
chr10:104678075-
104687375
NM_199077.2 chr10:104678075-
104838344
NM_017649.4 Induction of
isoform 1
Yes (SYBR) Yes uc001kwl.2 uc001kwm.2 Yes
TMEM125 Alternative
3' end
chr1:43735698-
43736343
Not annotated chr1:43735665-
43739673
NM_144626.2 Induction of
isoform 1
Yes
(change
to non-
coding)
Not
annotated
uc001cir.2 No
CBWD2 Alternative
3' end
chr2:114195268-
114253781
NM_172003.3 chr2:114195169-
114199073
Not annotated Induction of
isoform 2
Yes uc002tju.2 Not
annotated
No
NDUFV3 Alternative
exon
chr21:44313378-
44329773
NM_021075.3 chr21:44313378-
44329773
NM_001001503.1 Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
Yes uc002zcm.2 uc002zcn.2 Yes
ZNF678 Alternative
exon
chr1:227751220-
227850164
NM_178549.3 Not annotated Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
Yes
(change
to non-
coding)
uc009xet.1 Not
annotated
No
ZNF121 Alternative
exon
chr19:9676404-
9695209
NM_001308269.1 chr19:9676404-
9695209
NM_001008727.3 Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
Yes uc010xkq.1 uc010xkp.1 Yes
SPATC1L Alternative
exon
chr21:47581062-
47604373
NM_032261.4 Not annotated Induction of isoform 2 (exon
included)
Yes uc002zii.2 Not
annotated
No
MOCOS Alternative
exon
chr18:33767480-
33848685
NM_017947.2 Not annotated Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
Yes uc002kzq.3 Not
annotated
No
RBM45 Alternative
exon
chr2:178977151-
178994382
NM_152945.3 Not annotated Switch to isoform 2 (exon
included)
Yes uc002ulv.2 Not
annotated
No
MIPEP Alternative
exon
chr13:24304328-
24463587
NM_005932.3 Not annotated Repression of isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
Yes uc001uox.3 Not
annotated
No
BBS4 Alternative
exon
chr15:72978520-
73030817
NM_001320665.1 Not annotated Induction of isoform 2 (exon
included)
Yes uc002avb.2 Not
annotated
No
FAM195A Alternative
exon
chr16:691804-
698474
NM_138418.3 chr16:691804-
698474
NR_138607.1 Switch to isoform 1 (exon
exluded)
Yes
(change
from non-
coding)
uc002cic.1 uc002cie.2 Yes
LINC01133 Alternative
exon
chr1:159931008-
159948851
ENST00000443364.6 chr1:159931014-
159948876
NR_038849.1 Induction of isoform 1 (exon
excluded)
Both non-coding Not
annotated
uc001fuu.2 No
SS18 Alternative
exon
chr18:23596217-
23670611
NM_001007559.2 chr18:23596217-
23670611
NM_005637.3 Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
Yes uc002kvm.2 uc002kvn.2 Yes
RHOC Alternative
exon
chr1:113243897-
113249757
ENST00000369638.6 chr1:113243947-
113249742
ENST00000369636.6 Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
No (5' UTR) uc009wgk.1 uc001ecr.1 Yes
ZNF226 Retained
intron
chr19:44669215-
44681838
NM_001319088.1 chr19:44669249-
44679582
NM_015919.3 Switch to isoform 1 (intron
included)
Yes uc002oyo.2 uc002oyn.2 Yes

Table 2. Quantitative changes in gene expression in response to androgens for the 73 genes with AR regulated alternative mRNA isoforms.

LNCaP RNA-Seq (+/- androgens for 24 hours) Reciprocal RNA-Seq (also change in 7
patients following ADT)
No change Upregulated Downregulated No change Upregulated Downregulated
RLN2 LIG4 NUP93 LIG4 TPD52 None
DENND1A TACC2 PIK3R1 TACC2 AP2S1
RAB3IL1 RLN1 MAPRE2 NUP93 DCXR
OSBPL1A AP2S1 NDUFAF4 RLN1 PEX10
TRIM16 DCXR ACER3 RLN2 HMGCR
Sep-05 PEX10 GPRIN2 PIK3R1 ALDH1A3
RDH13 SNAPC2 TLE3 MAPRE2 FDFT1
ZFAND6 ATP6V0D1 TNRC6B NDUFAF4 GREB1
CDIP1 ARRDC1 SORBS3 SNAPC2 NCAPD3
LIMK2 KLHL36 ZNF121 ATP6V0D1 RAP1GAP
TSC22D3 VSIG10L LINC01133 ARRDC1 TMEM79
GMFB HMGCR DENND1A KRT8
MLST8 CLK3 KLHL36 ELOVL1
znf32 RNH1 RAB3IL1 TMEM125
C1QTNF3 YIF1B ACER3
UBE2D3 PAK1IP1 OSBPL1A
MAT2A ALDH1A3 TRIM16
CBWD2 TRABD VSIG10L
ZNF678 LIMCH1 SEPT5
MOCOS UBA1 RDH13
FDFT1 GPRIN2
GREB1 CLK3
NCAPD3 RNH1
SLC36A4 ZFAND6
KLC2 CDIP1
RAP1GAP YIF1B
TMEM79 LIMK2
NR4A1 TSC22D3
KRT8 TRABD
ELOVL1 LIMCH1
RCAN1 GMFB
CNNM2 MLST8
TMEM125 TLE3
NDUFV3 UBA1
SPATC1L TNRC6B
RBM45 SLC36A4
MIPEP KLC2
BBS4 NR4A1
FAM195A znf32
SS18 C1QTNF3
RHOC UBE2D3
ZNF226 RCAN1
TPD52 SORBS3
MAT2A
CNNM2
CBWD2
NDUFV3
ZNF678
ZNF121
SPATC1L
MOCOS
RBM45
MIPEP
BBS4
FAM195A
LINC01133
SS18
RHOC
ICAM3
ZNF226

Table 3. Alternative events in genes previously linked to cancer.

Gene name Function Clinical importance and
roles in other cancer
types
Clinical importance and roles in prostate
cancer
TACC2
Transforming Acidic Coiled-
Coil Containing Protein 2
centrosome- and
microtubule-interacting
protein
Growth and prognosis of
breast cancer 56
castration-resistant growth of prostate
cancer 57
LIG4 DNA ligase with role in DNA
repair
Prognostic marker in
nasopharyngeal cancer 58
Upregulated in colorectal
cancer with role in wnt
signalling 59
Predictor of poor prognosis 60
RLN1 and RLN2
(Relaxin1 and 2)
Endocrine hormones (part of
insulin gene superfamily)
Breast cancer
invasiveness 61, 62
metastasis of human
osteosarcoma 63
Thyroid cancer
oncogenesis 64, 65
Well characterised role in the development
and progression of prostate cancer 5, 5055.
TPD52
(Tumor Protein D52)
Role in proliferation and exo-
and endocytic pathways
Well characterised role
in numerous cancer
types 46, 6669
Known AR target, overexpressed and
amplified in prostate cancer 70
Oncogene in prostate cancer 71
Neuroendocrine transdifferentiation of
prostate cancer 72
Isoform produced by alternative promoter
known as PrLZ and already linked to
prostate cancer 4749, 73, 74
FDFT1
(Farnesyl-Diphosphate
Farnesyltransferase 1)
squalene synthase Role in lung cancer
metastasis 75
Linked to prostate cancer risk and
aggressiveness 76
TLE3
(Transducin Like Enhancer
Of Split 3)
Negative regulator of Wnt/β-
catenin signaling
Predictive marker for
response to therapy
in ovarian and breast
cancer 77, 78
Represses colon cancer
proliferation 79
Upregulated in prostate tumours 80 and
linked to wnt signalling in castrate resistant
disease 81
CNNM2
(Cyclin & CBS Domain
Divalent Metal Cation
Transport Mediator 2)
Magnesium transporter Proposed oncogenic role
via increasing magnesium
uptake 82
Unknown
NUP93 Nucleoporin protein – role in
apoptosis
Driver mutation linked to
breast cancer 83
Unknown
MAT2A
Methionine
adenosyltransferase II
Biosynthesis of
S-adenosylmethionine, the
principal biological methyl
donor and precursor of
polyamines and glutathione.
Upregulated in liver and
colon cancer, potential
drug target 84, 85
Tumour suppressor in
kidney carcinogenesis 86
Role in other cancer
types 87
Upregulated in prostate cancer and linked
to cell migration via miR-34a and miR-
34b 87, 88
PIK3R1 PI3K regulatory subunit Underexpressed in breast
cancer 89
High mutation frequency
in endometrial cancer 90
Controlled by androgens and repressed in
prostate cancer cells 21
SNAPC2
(Small Nuclear RNA
Activating Complex
Polypeptide 2)
Subunit of the snRNA-
activating protein complex.
Necessary for RNA
polymerase II and III
dependent small-nuclear
RNA gene transcription
Epigenetic silencing
is prognostic in
glioblastoma 91
Unknown
ZNF678
(Zinc Finger Protein 678)
Potential role in
transcriptional regulation
Unknown Unknown
NDUFV3

(NADH:Ubiquinone
Oxidoreductase Subunit V3)
Subunit of part of the
mitochondrial respiratory
chain
Unknown Androgen regulated alternative splice
isoform previously identified by our exon
array study 10
OSBPL1A

(Oxysterol Binding Protein
Like 1A)
Intracellular lipid receptor Alternative promoter use in
colorectal cancer 92
Unknown
RDH13

(Retinol Dehydrogenase 13)
Role in retinoic acid
production and protection
against oxidative stress
Unknown Unknown
ZNF121

(Zinc Finger Protein 121)
Potential role in
transcriptional regulation
Interacts with MYC.
Upregulated in breast
cancer 93
Unknown
SLC36A4.1

(Solute Carrier Family 36
Member 4)
amino acid transporter Unknown Unknown
RCAN1

(Regulator of Calcineurin 1)
Inhibits calcineurin-
dependent signaling
pathways
Inhibits NF-κB and
suppresses lymphoma
growth in mice 94.
Role in cancer cell
migration 95
Unknown
DCXR

(Dicarbonyl & l-xylulose
reductase)
Role in the uronate cycle of
glucose metabolism
Low expression
indicates poor prognosis
for hepatocellular
carcinoma 96.
Role in cell adhesion 97, 98
Upregulated and potential biomarker in
prostate cancer 99
NDUFAF4

(NADH:Ubiquinone
Oxidoreductase Complex
Assembly Factor 4)
Role in the mitochondrial
respiratory chain
Unknown Unknown
MAPRE2

(Microtubule Associated
Protein RP/EB Family
Member 2)
Microtubule-associated
protein that is necessary for
spindle symmetry during
mitosis
Role in the invasion of
pancreatic cancer cells 100
Unknown
PEX10

(Peroxisomal Biogenesis
Factor 10)
Involved in import of
peroxisomal matrix proteins
Unknown Unknown
AP2S1

(Adaptor Related Protein
Complex 2 Sigma 1
Subunit)
Function in protein transport
across membranes
Unknown Unknown
LINC01133

(long non-coding RNA)
Long non-coding RNA Poor prognosis in
colorectal cancer 101
Upregulated and linked
to poor prognosis in lung
cancer 102
Unknown
ZNF226

(Zinc Finger Protein 226)
Potential role in
transcriptional regulation
Unknown Unknown
CDIP1

(Cell death inducing p53
target 1)
p53 apoptotic effector
Regulates TNF-alpha-
mediated apoptosis
sensitivity to TNFα-
induced apoptosis in
cancer cells 103
Unknown

The 73 identified mRNA isoforms were generated via androgen-regulated utilisation of 56 alternative promoters, 4 alternative 3′ ends and 13 alternative splicing events ( Figure 1A). Of the 56 androgen regulated alternative promoters that were identified, 23 alternative promoters were induced by androgens (including LIG4, Figure 1B), 26 promoters were repressed by androgens, and for 7 genes there was a switch in usage from one promoter to another ( Table 1). The alternative splicing events that were under androgen control included 12 alternative exons and one androgen-regulated intron retention ( Table 1). 10 of these are novel to this study, including exclusion of an alternative exon in ZNF678 ( Figure 1C). Of the alternative exons, six genes contained switches in previously unannotated protein-coding exons in response to androgen-exposure. We also identified four androgen regulated alternative mRNA 3' end isoform switches, including a switch in the 3’ end of the mRNA transcript for the MAT2A gene ( Figure 1D).

Figure 1. Global identification of androgen-dependent mRNA isoform production in prostate cancer cells predicts a major role for alternative promoter utilisation.

Figure 1.

(A) Analysis of RNAseq data from LNCaP cells grown with (A+) or without androgens (R1881) (steroid deplete, SD) for 24 hours identified 73 androgen regulated alternative mRNA isoforms. The 73 alternative events were generated via androgen-regulated utilisation of 56 alternative promoters, 4 alternative 3' ends and 13 alternative splicing events. (B) Androgens drive a promoter switch in the LIG4 gene, which produces an mRNA isoform with an alternative 5’UTR. Visualisation of our LNCaP cell RNA-seq reads for the LIG4 gene on the UCSC genome browser identified a switch from promoter 1 to alternative promoter 2 in cells grown in the presence of androgens. Promoter 2 is predicted to produce a different 5’UTR without influencing the protein sequence (left panel). Quantitative PCR using primers specific to each promoter indicate that in response to androgens there is repression of promoter 1 and induction of promoter 2 (right panel). (C) Androgens drive alternative splicing of the ZNF678 gene. Visualisation of our LNCaP cell RNA-seq reads for the ZNF678 gene on the UCSC genome browser identified a switch to inclusion of a cassette exon in the presence of androgens. Inclusion of the alternative cassette exon in the ZNF678 gene is predicted to induce a switch to an alternative non-coding mRNA isoform (left panel). Quantitative PCR using primers in flanking exons confirmed increased inclusion of the alternative exon in LNCaP cells exposed to androgens (right panel). (D) Androgens promote selection of an alternative 3’ end for the MAT2A gene. Visualisation of our LNCaP cell RNA-seq reads for the MAT2A gene on the UCSC genome browser indicates a switch to reduced usage of an alternative 3’ end in the presence of androgens (left panel). Quantitative PCR using primers specific to each isoform confirmed down-regulation of an alternative 3’ end (p<0.01). Alternative 3’ ends for the MAT2A gene are predicted to produce proteins with different amino acid sequences and to influence a known Pfam domain (right panel).

Androgen regulated events control the production of alternative protein isoforms, non-coding RNAs and alternative 5' UTRs

48/73 (66%) of the androgen regulated alternative events detected in response to androgen stimulation are predicted to change the amino acid sequence of the resulting protein ( Table 1). Some of these are already known to have a well characterised role in prostate cancer progression, including an alternative promoter in the oncogene TPD52 that produces a protein isoform called PrLZ ( Figure 2A) 4649. Others are not so well characterised. Using western blotting we could detect a novel shorter protein isoform corresponding to androgen-driven selection of an alternative promoter in the TACC2 gene ( Figure 2B); and exclusion of a cassette exon in the NDUFV3 gene, which we show also produces a novel shorter protein isoform ( Figure 2C). We also detected a switch in the 3' end of the mRNA transcript for the MAT2A gene, which is predicted to produce a protein isoform with a shorter C-terminal domain ( Figure 1D); and induction of an alternative 3' isoform of CNNM2, which is predicted to be missing a conserved CBS domain ( Table 1 and Supplementary Figure 1).

Figure 2. Androgen regulated mRNA isoform switches control alternative protein isoforms and non-coding RNAs.

Figure 2.

( A) Androgens induce an alternative promoter in the oncogene TPD52 that produces an isoform called PrLZ. Visualisation of our LNCaP cell RNA-seq reads for the TPD52 gene on the UCSC genome browser identified a switch from promoter 1 to alternative promoter 2 in cells grown in the presence of androgens. Promoter 2 is known to produce an alternative protein isoform of TPD52 known as PrLZ (left panel). Quantitative PCR using primers specific to each promoter indicate an induction of the PrLZ isoform in response to androgens (middle panel). PrLZ has an alternative N-terminal amino acid sequence which results in an alternative protein isoform and disrupts a known Pfam domain (right panel). ( B) Androgens induce an alternative promoter in the TACC2 gene that produces a novel alternative protein isoform. Visualisation of our LNCaP cell RNA-seq reads for the TACC2 gene on the UCSC genome browser identified a switch from promoter 1 to alternative promoter 2 in cells grown in the presence of androgens. Promoter 2 is predicted to produce an alternative shorter protein isoform of TACC2 (isoform 2) (left panel). Quantitative PCR using primers specific to each promoter indicate a switch from isoform 1 to isoform 2 in response to androgens (middle panel). Detection of TACC2 protein in LNCaP by western blotting (cells were grown with or without androgens for 24 or 48 hours). Tubulin was used as a loading control. Exposure to androgens for 48 hours induces expression of the alternative TACC2 protein isoform (right panel). ( C) Androgens drive alternative splicing of the NDUFV3 gene. Visualisation of our LNCaP cell RNA-seq reads for the NDUFV3 gene on the UCSC genome browser identified a switch to exclusion of a cassette exon in the presence of androgens (left panel). Quantitative PCR using primers in flanking exons confirmed less inclusion of the alternative exon in LNCaP cells exposed to androgens (middle panel). Exclusion of the alternative cassette exon is predicted to produce an alternative protein isoform. Detection of NDUFV3 protein in LNCaP cells using western blotting (right panel). ( D) Androgens suppress an alternative promoter in the RLN2 gene, which produces a shorter non-coding mRNA isoform. Visualisation of our LNCaP cell RNA-seq reads for the RLN2 gene on the UCSC genome browser identified a switch from promoter 1 to alternative promoter 2 in cells grown in the presence of androgens. Promoter 2 is predicted to produce an untranslated non-coding mRNA isoform (left panel). Quantitative PCR using primers specific to each promoter indicated a significant switch in promoter usage in response to androgens (middle panel). Detection of RLN2 protein in LNCaP by western blotting (cells were grown with or without androgens for 48 hours). Actin was used as a loading control. As seen previously 55, androgens suppress RLN2 protein levels.

11 of the remaining identified androgen-regulated alternative events change the expression of mRNAs from coding to non-coding or untranslated (not predicted to produce a protein) ( Table 1). These included promoter switches for the RLN1 and RLN2 genes which encode peptide hormones that may be important in prostate cancer 5, 5055. Androgens drive a promoter switch in both RLN1 and RLN2 to produce predicted non-coding or untranslated mRNA isoforms, reducing expression of protein-coding RLN1 and RLN2 mRNA isoforms. To test whether prostate cancer cells turn off gene expression by switching between utilisation of promoters that generate coding and noncoding mRNAs, we analysed RLN2 protein levels. Consistent with our hypothesis and a previous study 55, RLN2 protein production was negatively regulated by androgens in parallel to the switch to the non-coding mRNA isoform ( Figure 2D).

14 of the identified androgen-dependent mRNA isoforms lead to/result in coding mRNAs with altered 5’ untranslated regions (5′ UTR) with no impact on the coding sequence. These include a promoter switch in the LIG4 gene ( Figure 1B).

Differential expression of androgen-dependent mRNA isoforms in prostate adenocarcinoma versus normal tissue

To investigate potential links between androgen-dependent mRNA isoforms and tumourigenesis, we analysed the expression of 41 androgen-regulated mRNA isoform pairs in clinical prostate adenocarcinoma and normal prostate tissues. This analysis utilised transcriptomic data from 497 tumour samples and 52 normal samples in the PRAD TCGA cohort 104. The remaining isoform pairs identified within our dataset have not been previously annotated by UCSC, therefore it was not possible to include them in our comparison. A description of the cohort used is summarised in Table 4.

Table 4. Description of the TCGA PRAD cohort.

Features Total Cases
Cohort 497 patients
Tumour 497
Normal 52 (w/tumour matched
sample available)
Gleason grade
6 50
7 287
8 67
9 140
10 4
Tumour stage
T2a 14
T2b 10
T2c 192
T3a 173
T3b 140
T4 12
Gleason grade (alternative gleason grade
grouping)
1 (primary +
secondary score ≤ 6)
50
2 (3 + 4) 171
3 (4 + 3) 123
4 (4 + 4) 93
5 (primary +
secondary score ≥ 9)
111

All tumours were hormone naive (not subject to ADT) at the time of sample collection

33 of the 42 mRNA isoform pairs exhibited significant differences in the expression of at least one of the isoforms, or in the isoform expression ratio between tumour and normal tissues ( Table 5). 13 of those tumour-specific alterations mimicked the effect of androgen stimulation in LNCaP cells: the changes were in form of alternative promoters for TACC2, TPD52, NUP93, PIK3R1, RDH13, ZFAND6, CDIP1, YIF1B, LIMK2, and FDFT1; an alternative 3´ end in CNNM2; and alternative exons in NDUFV3 and SS18 ( Figure 3, Table 5 & Supplementary Figure 2). Two of the alternative promoters ( ZFAND6 and CDIP1) are predicted to introduce a change in the 5′UTR, whereas all the others are predicted to alter the resulting protein isoform. A number of mRNA isoforms that were androgen responsive in LNCaP cells showed tumour specific alterations opposite to the effect of androgen stimulation. These were LIG4, MAPRE2, OSBPL1A, SEPT5, NR4A1, and RCAN1 (all predicted to alter the resulting protein isoform except LIG4). For the remaining 14 mRNA isoform pairs, the data was inconclusive according to the consistency conditions listed in the methods section ( Table 5).

Table 5. Summarised results of the differential expression analysis of androgen-regulated isoforms between tumour and normal tissue samples in the TCGA PRAD cohort.

Isoform 1 Isoform 2 PSI
Gene Event type Change with androgens (LNCap) log2FC Av.Expr.
(TPM)
FDR log2FC Av.Expr.
(TPM)
FDR Delta
PSI
Av. PSI FDR Consistency
of change in
tumours
LIG4 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.81 1.77 4.31E-02 -1.53 1.28 4.48E-05 0.06 0.597300667 9.85E-02 Opposite
TACC2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.80 2.42 5.51E-03 0.18 6.22 6.06E-01 -0.16 0.284239843 2.95E-05 Consistent
TPD52 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.34 0.17 5.45E-01 1.87 39.20 1.23E-09 0.00 0.011365308 8.11E-06 Consistent
NUP93 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 0.25 25.52 6.45E-04 0.31 7.20 6.08E-01 0.01 0.828738669 7.52E-01 Consistent
RLN1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.45 133.50 4.97E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
AP2S1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.48 191.44 2.24E-05 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
RLN2 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 0.48 5.07 2.41E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
PIK3R1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -1.79 7.15 3.26E-12 -1.79 1.26 8.20E-06 -0.02 0.820282185 7.52E-01 Consistent
MAPRE2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 1.17 1.52 1.22E-01 -0.34 0.07 1.96E-01 0.09 0.730349729 4.67E-02 Opposite
NDUFAF4 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.55 0.06 5.86E-02 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
DCXR Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.68 623.07 2.05E-05 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
PEX10 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.92 75.55 7.84E-06 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
SNAPC2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.38 5.42 1.23E-01 0.22 37.58 3.20E-02 -0.01 0.130583106 8.29E-01 Inconclusive
ATP6V0D1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.12 109.86 1.42E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
ARRDC1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.46 12.78 2.34E-05 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
DENND1A Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.04 7.09 9.11E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
KLHL36 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.38 10.58 4.61E-06 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
RAB3IL1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.34 0.28 5.07E-01 0.05 4.68 6.91E-01 0.01 0.062673984 4.28E-01 Inconclusive
ACER3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.13 6.32 8.52E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
OSBPL1A Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.14 4.11 5.75E-01 -1.06 3.56 3.44E-09 0.17 0.522207286 1.03E-08 Opposite
TRIM16 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.65 6.87 1.03E-14 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
VSIG10L Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -1.01 1.91 5.49E-04 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
SEPT5 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.80 11.47 1.79E-09 1.09 3.86 1.82E-06 -0.03 0.749615358 1.90E-01 Opposite
HMGCR Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.86 0.59 1.07E-01 -0.55 17.41 1.09E-02 0.00 0.029105295 9.62E-01 Inconclusive
RDH13 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 1.67 2.10 1.31E-08 0.72 0.05 5.88E-03 0.00 0.962155441 9.33E-02 Consistent
GPRIN2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -- -- -- -0.48 3.31 3.98E-02 -- -- -- Not
assessed
CLK3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.10 31.34 1.07E-01 -- 0.04 -- 0.00 0.998537929 6.18E-01 Inconclusive
RNH1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.16 4.38 7.95E-01 -0.19 6.56 5.74E-01 0.00 0.375368151 7.52E-01 Inconclusive
ZFAND6 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.10 37.63 6.33E-01 -1.51 2.29 5.59E-03 0.03 0.935657481 3.73E-02 Consistent
CDIP1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.77 0.35 1.16E-01 -1.83 3.70 2.77E-11 0.06 0.142411928 1.46E-03 Consistent
YIF1B Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.50 2.52 3.18E-01 2.83 3.08 1.60E-04 -0.32 0.497841217 1.64E-02 Consistent
LIMK2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 -0.90 6.80 1.50E-03 0.58 10.99 1.10E-05 -0.19 0.382613244 2.85E-06 Consistent
TSC22D3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -- 35.48 -- -1.08 173.59 8.13E-15 0.01 0.203019277 2.97E-01 Inconclusive
ALDH1A3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.71 279.09 7.51E-03 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
TRABD Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 1.57 21.80 3.42E-02 0.87 0.54 1.18E-01 0.00 0.958501941 5.17E-01 Inconclusive
LIMCH1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -- 0.01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
GMFB Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.11 11.91 7.54E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
MLST8 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 1 0.87 0.19 9.88E-04 1.51 4.90 9.60E-03 0.02 0.121241399 5.81E-01 Inconclusive
TLE3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.10 0.10 8.70E-01 -0.20 5.14 4.28E-01 0.00 0.02562604 6.14E-01 Inconclusive
UBA1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.21 23.51 1.39E-01 0.01 131.71 9.46E-01 0.01 0.190009964 2.99E-01 Inconclusive
TNRC6B Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.18 2.27 3.34E-02 -0.43 0.03 4.15E-01 0.00 0.988593061 3.56E-02 Inconclusive
FDFT1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.57 94.14 1.13E-07 -1.07 1.05 5.62E-12 0.00 0.986642757 2.13E-02 Consistent
GREB1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 1.45 1.01 6.45E-04 0.28 1.48 3.21E-01 0.14 0.378280864 3.40E-02 Inconclusive
NCAPD3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.16 75.75 6.55E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
SLC36A4 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.91 2.15 1.60E-03 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
KLC2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.47 0.27 4.16E-01 -0.76 3.64 8.12E-02 0.00 0.1048405 4.53E-01 Inconclusive
RAP1GAP Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 1.94 3.42 3.45E-08 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
TMEM79 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.21 3.77 7.91E-01 -1.40 1.67 2.05E-05 0.19 0.399443544 5.07E-02 Inconclusive
NR4A1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.40 1.86 2.34E-01 -0.74 5.81 7.87E-03 0.06 0.292753045 2.53E-01 Opposite
ZNF32 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.03 67.26 7.14E-01 0.03 4.12 7.14E-01 0.00 0.942446541 1.00E+00 Inconclusive
C1QTNF3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.30 3.41 4.67E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
UBE2D3 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 -0.50 8.00 5.09E-04 -0.13 0.32 8.18E-01 -0.01 0.953413055 5.49E-01 Inconclusive
KRT8 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.08 2.08 8.55E-01 0.48 697.27 1.26E-05 0.00 0.003455479 9.85E-02 Inconclusive
ELOVL1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.10 100.07 1.38E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
RCAN1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.31 1.39 4.66E-01 -1.40 6.90 4.40E-07 0.09 0.2372612 1.64E-02 Opposite
SORBS3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.21 6.33 6.20E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
MAT2A Alternative 3' end Repression of isoform 2 -0.36 102.47 6.63E-02 0.27 13.41 2.87E-01 -0.03 0.888519015 5.32E-03 Inconclusive
CNNM2 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 1 0.67 0.44 2.73E-05 -0.79 1.22 5.96E-03 0.13 0.331082656 3.31E-05 Consistent
TMEM125 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 1 -- -- -- 0.45 40.70 9.40E-04 -- -- -- Not
assessed
CBWD2 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 2 0.00 16.56 9.88E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
NDUFV3 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon excluded) -0.09 12.98 2.36E-01 0.54 56.19 4.17E-07 -0.07 0.201011 2.54E-08 Consistent
ZNF678 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon excluded) 0.32 0.97 2.23E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
ZNF121 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon excluded) 0.90 0.08 5.97E-03 0.02 3.09 9.28E-01 0.00 0.037899858 9.85E-02 Inconclusive
SPATC1L Alternative exon Induction of isoform 2 (exon included) 0.35 36.98 4.71E-02 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
MOCOS Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon excluded) -0.82 2.24 1.14E-09 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
RBM45 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon included) 0.25 7.85 9.96E-07 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
MIPEP Alternative exon Repression of isoform 2 (exon excluded) 0.87 49.00 9.53E-04 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
BBS4 Alternative exon Induction of isoform 2 (exon included) 0.02 21.63 9.71E-01 -- -- -- -- -- -- Not
assessed
FAM195A Alternative exon Switch to isoform 1 (exon exluded) 0.87 43.81 4.03E-08 0.99 5.57 1.01E-08 -0.01 0.884563881 2.50E-01 Inconclusive
LINC01133 Alternative exon Induction of isoform 1 (exon excluded) -- -- -- -1.58 2.77 1.39E-08 0.00 -- -- Not
assessed
SS18 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon excluded) -1.47 3.70 1.97E-02 -0.14 33.31 1.18E-02 -0.07 0.087763421 2.88E-02 Consistent
RHOC Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon excluded) 0.62 1.48 3.71E-06 0.13 153.20 1.96E-01 0.00 0.009830219 1.46E-03 Inconclusive
ZNF226 Retained intron Switch to isoform 1 (intron included) -0.13 2.48 5.37E-01 -0.08 13.49 7.40E-01 -0.01 0.184522223 8.77E-01 Inconclusive

Figure 3. Differential expression of androgen dependent mRNA isoforms in prostate cancer versus normal tissue within the PRAD TCGA cohort for TPD52, TACC2, NDUFV3 and CNNM2.

Figure 3.

Violin-boxplots of expression in transcripts per million mapped reads (TPM) of Isoforms 1 (left panel) and 2 (central panel), and of their expression ratio in PSI (right panel) in normal and tumour samples. The mean log2 fold-change (logFC) in expression between tumour and normal samples and the associated FDR-adjusted p-value for the moderated t-statistic of differential expression are shown for both isoforms (left and central panels). The mean difference in PSI (deltaPSI) between tumour and normal samples and the associated FDR-adjusted p-value for the Mann-Whitney U test of differential splicing are shown (right panel).

Changes in androgen-dependent mRNA isoform expression during tumour progression

We next investigated whether the identified androgen-dependent mRNA isoforms are differentially expressed during prostate cancer progression by correlating the expression levels of each isoform with Gleason scores and prostate tumour grades within the PRAD TCGA cohort ( Figure 4 & Figure 5, Table 6 & Table 7 and Supplementary Figure 3 & Supplementary Figure 4). For 6 of the alternative mRNA isoforms responsive to androgens (made from alternative promoters in LIG4, OSBPL1A, CLK3, TSC22D3 & ZNF32 and utilising an alternative exon in ZNF121), the expression changed significantly with Gleason score and showed specific alterations consistent with the effect of androgen stimulation. Conversely, 9 alternative isoforms (which were androgen responsive in LNCaP cells) showed tumour specific alterations opposite to the effect of androgen stimulation (including an alternative promoters in NUP93 and the alternative 3´end of MAT2A). 3 androgen regulated mRNA isoforms ( OSBPL1A, CLK3 and TSC22D3) change significantly with both Gleason grade and tumour stage.

Figure 4. Differential alternative mRNA isoform expression in the TGCA PRAD cohort across different Gleason grades for OSBPL1A, CLK3, TSC22D and ZNF121.

Figure 4.

Violin-boxplots of expression in transcripts per million mapped reads (TPM) of Isoforms 1 (left panel) and 2 (central panel), and of their expression ratio (right panel) by Gleason grade. Their respective Spearman’s correlation coefficient (Rho) with grade and associated FDR-adjusted p-value are shown.

Figure 5. Differential alternative mRNA isoform expression in the TGCA PRAD cohort across different tumour stages for OSBPL1A, CLK3 and TSC22D3.

Figure 5.

Violin-boxplots of expression in transcripts per million mapped reads (TPM) of Isoforms 1 (left panel) and 2 (central panel), and of their expression ratio (right panel) by tumour stage. Their respective Spearman’s correlation coefficient (Rho) with stage and associated FDR-adjusted p-value are shown.

Table 6. Summarised results of the correlation analysis of androgen-regulated isoforms expression with Gleason score in the TCGA PRAD cohort.

Isoform 1 Isoform 2 PSI
Gene Event type Change with androgens
(LNCap)
Rho FDR Rho FDR Rho FDR Consistency
of change
with Gleason
LIG4 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.07 1.92E-01 0.09 1.07E-01 -0.18 4.21E-04 Consistent -
TACC2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.08 1.55E-01 0.01 9.26E-01 -0.08 1.88E-01 Inconclusive
TPD52 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.00 9.51E-01 0.02 7.73E-01 0.00 9.46E-01 Inconclusive
NUP93 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.18 7.92E-04 -0.07 1.81E-01 0.04 4.75E-01 Opposite
RLN1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.16 1.98E-03 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
AP2S1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.01 8.72E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
RLN2 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.10 6.03E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
PIK3R1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.07 2.51E-01 0.09 1.20E-01 -0.17 1.29E-03 Inconclusive
MAPRE2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 -0.07 1.92E-01 -0.06 2.73E-01 0.06 3.23E-01 Inconclusive
NDUFAF4 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.00 9.79E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
DCXR Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.29 4.07E-09 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
PEX10 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.08 1.50E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
SNAPC2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.15 5.48E-03 -0.18 3.55E-04 0.21 5.13E-05 Opposite
ATP6V0D1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.11 3.43E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
ARRDC1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.12 2.00E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
DENND1A Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.02 8.10E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
KLHL36 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.13 1.67E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
RAB3IL1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.06 3.17E-01 0.32 9.13E-12 -0.02 7.15E-01 Opposite
ACER3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.16 3.79E-03 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
OSBPL1A Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.05 4.00E-01 0.13 1.58E-02 -0.07 2.33E-01 Consistent
TRIM16 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.10 6.06E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
VSIG10L Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.16 1.98E-03 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
SEPT5 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.17 1.12E-03 0.12 1.93E-02 -0.04 4.91E-01 Opposite
HMGCR Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.03 6.56E-01 -0.05 4.54E-01 0.07 2.33E-01 Inconclusive
RDH13 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 0.03 7.01E-01 0.08 1.20E-01 -0.10 1.00E-01 Inconclusive
GPRIN2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -- -- -0.01 8.93E-01 -- -- Not assessed
CLK3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.13 1.58E-02 -0.05 3.98E-01 0.07 2.33E-01 Consistent
RNH1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 0.05 4.41E-01 0.07 1.83E-01 -0.01 9.23E-01 Inconclusive
ZFAND6 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.07 1.87E-01 0.05 3.82E-01 -0.03 6.36E-01 Inconclusive
CDIP1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.02 8.10E-01 0.03 6.81E-01 -0.01 9.23E-01 Inconclusive
YIF1B Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.02 8.10E-01 -0.04 5.42E-01 0.05 4.39E-01 Inconclusive
LIMK2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 -0.02 8.10E-01 -0.03 6.30E-01 0.00 9.49E-01 Inconclusive
TSC22D3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.15 5.15E-03 -0.01 9.26E-01 -0.09 1.14E-01 Consistent
ALDH1A3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.12 2.00E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
TRABD Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.14 8.04E-03 -0.04 5.43E-01 0.05 4.39E-01 Inconclusive
LIMCH1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.05 4.34E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
GMFB Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.08 1.55E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
MLST8 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 1 0.19 5.32E-04 0.19 2.05E-04 0.07 2.14E-01 Inconclusive
TLE3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.05 4.28E-01 -0.10 7.19E-02 0.07 2.33E-01 Inconclusive
UBA1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.09 8.99E-02 0.03 5.95E-01 0.01 8.68E-01 Inconclusive
TNRC6B Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.05 4.00E-01 -0.09 1.19E-01 0.09 1.11E-01 Inconclusive
FDFT1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.02 7.41E-01 0.07 2.07E-01 -0.07 2.14E-01 Inconclusive
GREB1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.05 4.41E-01 -0.14 5.45E-03 0.04 4.60E-01 Opposite
NCAPD3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.23 3.61E-06 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
SLC36A4 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.12 1.88E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
KLC2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.02 8.10E-01 0.13 1.58E-02 -0.04 4.60E-01 Inconclusive
RAP1GAP Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.01 8.79E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
TMEM79 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.04 4.70E-01 0.15 3.46E-03 -0.09 1.11E-01 Inconclusive
NR4A1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.10 5.44E-02 0.00 9.79E-01 0.10 7.40E-02 Inconclusive
ZNF32 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.22 1.32E-05 -0.22 1.11E-05 -0.09 1.31E-01 Consistent -
C1QTNF3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 0.08 1.58E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
UBE2D3 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.18 7.24E-04 0.08 1.27E-01 -0.02 7.15E-01 Inconclusive
KRT8 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.05 3.81E-01 -0.16 2.07E-03 0.01 8.68E-01 Inconclusive
ELOVL1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.18 7.24E-04 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
RCAN1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.10 5.13E-02 -0.01 8.70E-01 0.12 3.69E-02 Inconclusive
SORBS3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.12 2.21E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
MAT2A Alternative 3' end Repression of isoform 2 0.04 5.39E-01 0.27 3.68E-08 -0.33 8.82E-13 Opposite
CNNM2 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 1 -0.06 3.30E-01 0.03 5.87E-01 -0.08 2.04E-01 Inconclusive
TMEM125 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 1 -- -- -0.19 2.05E-04 -- -- Not assessed
CBWD2 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 2 0.13 1.37E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
NDUFV3 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
0.14 8.04E-03 -0.07 2.48E-01 0.13 2.23E-02 Opposite
ZNF678 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
-0.07 1.87E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
ZNF121 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
-0.13 1.63E-02 0.08 1.20E-01 -0.14 1.27E-02 Consistent
SPATC1L Alternative exon Induction of isoform 2
(exon included)
-0.13 1.58E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
MOCOS Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
-0.01 8.72E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
RBM45 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
included)
0.12 2.45E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
MIPEP Alternative exon Repression of isoform 2
(exon excluded)
-0.14 9.92E-03 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
BBS4 Alternative exon Induction of isoform 2
(exon included)
-0.08 1.87E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
FAM195A Alternative exon Switch to isoform 1 (exon
exluded)
0.04 5.43E-01 0.14 5.35E-03 -0.18 4.65E-04 Opposite
LINC01133 Alternative exon Induction of isoform 1
(exon excluded)
-- -- -0.02 7.51E-01 -- -- Not assessed
SS18 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
0.04 4.86E-01 -0.06 2.51E-01 0.07 2.33E-01 Inconclusive
RHOC Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
0.29 4.07E-09 0.15 4.24E-03 0.21 3.63E-05 Opposite
ZNF226 Retained intron Switch to isoform 1 (intron
included)
0.01 8.67E-01 -0.10 7.49E-02 0.11 6.74E-02 Inconclusive

Table 7. Summarised results of the correlation analysis of androgen-regulated isoforms expression with tumour stage in the TCGA PRAD cohort (related to Figure 4 and Supplementary Figure 5).

Isoform 1 Isoform 2 PSI
Gene Event type Change with androgens
(LNCap)
Rho FDR Rho FDR Rho FDR Consistency
of change
with stage
LIG4 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.04 6.05E-01 0.02 6.82E-01 -0.09 1.82E-01 Inconclusive
TACC2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.08 1.74E-01 -0.05 4.47E-01 -0.04 5.65E-01 Inconclusive
TPD52 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.02 7.85E-01 -0.02 6.82E-01 -0.02 7.95E-01 Inconclusive
NUP93 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.12 3.95E-02 0.03 6.65E-01 -0.05 4.43E-01 Opposite
RLN1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.22 1.82E-05 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
AP2S1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.04 5.51E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
RLN2 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.16 5.68E-03 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
PIK3R1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.02 7.92E-01 0.11 5.92E-02 -0.14 3.27E-02 Opposite -
MAPRE2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 -0.02 7.56E-01 -0.02 6.82E-01 0.03 1.00E+00 Inconclusive
NDUFAF4 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.08 1.89E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
DCXR Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.30 6.32E-10 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
PEX10 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.10 9.95E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
SNAPC2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.13 2.87E-02 -0.23 5.57E-06 0.20 2.40E-04 Opposite
ATP6V0D1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.11 5.43E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
ARRDC1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.08 2.06E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
DENND1A Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.01 8.49E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
KLHL36 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.10 1.04E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
RAB3IL1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.08 1.71E-01 0.33 4.58E-12 0.00 9.75E-01 Opposite
ACER3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.16 4.77E-03 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
OSBPL1A Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.04 5.38E-01 0.13 1.59E-02 -0.07 2.88E-01 Consistent
TRIM16 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.06 3.95E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
VSIG10L Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.12 5.43E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
SEPT5 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.11 7.96E-02 0.07 2.54E-01 -0.01 8.89E-01 Inconclusive
HMGCR Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.00 9.91E-01 -0.04 5.77E-01 0.04 6.25E-01 Inconclusive
RDH13 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.03 7.33E-01 0.10 7.19E-02 -0.12 9.32E-02 Inconclusive
GPRIN2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -- -- 0.03 6.48E-01 -- -- Not assessed
CLK3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.15 6.05E-03 0.02 7.76E-01 0.02 8.63E-01 Consistent
RNH1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 -0.02 7.92E-01 0.10 6.12E-02 -0.08 2.28E-01 Inconclusive
ZFAND6 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.03 6.50E-01 0.04 5.78E-01 -0.04 6.05E-01 Inconclusive
CDIP1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.10 1.04E-01 0.02 7.82E-01 0.06 3.78E-01 Inconclusive
YIF1B Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 -0.01 8.87E-01 -0.10 6.71E-02 0.06 3.97E-01 Inconclusive
LIMK2 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.00 9.67E-01 -0.05 4.72E-01 0.00 9.75E-01 Inconclusive
TSC22D3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.13 3.44E-02 -0.07 2.54E-01 -0.03 6.59E-01 Consistent
ALDH1A3 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.18 7.69E-04 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
TRABD Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.06 3.95E-01 -0.03 6.48E-01 0.03 7.83E-01 Inconclusive
LIMCH1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 0.02 7.85E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
GMFB Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.07 2.57E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
MLST8 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 1 0.10 8.19E-02 0.15 6.14E-03 0.02 7.83E-01 Inconclusive
TLE3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.03 6.38E-01 -0.11 3.84E-02 0.04 5.65E-01 Opposite
UBA1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.12 5.43E-02 0.00 9.72E-01 0.06 3.99E-01 Inconclusive
TNRC6B Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.04 6.31E-01 -0.03 6.48E-01 0.02 7.83E-01 Inconclusive
FDFT1 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.05 4.82E-01 0.04 5.46E-01 -0.08 2.28E-01 Inconclusive
GREB1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.11 7.48E-02 -0.18 7.01E-04 0.01 8.96E-01 Opposite
NCAPD3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 -0.23 1.82E-05 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
SLC36A4 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.07 2.59E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
KLC2 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.03 6.33E-01 0.13 1.81E-02 -0.08 2.78E-01 Inconclusive
RAP1GAP Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 0.02 7.85E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
TMEM79 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.08 1.71E-01 0.16 1.97E-03 -0.10 1.20E-01 Inconclusive
NR4A1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.01 8.49E-01 -0.06 3.69E-01 0.08 2.62E-01 Inconclusive
ZNF32 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 2 -0.15 6.70E-03 0.02 7.34E-01 -0.08 2.33E-01 Inconclusive
C1QTNF3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 1 0.03 6.74E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
UBE2D3 Alternative promoter Switch to promoter 2 0.20 2.96E-04 0.07 2.17E-01 -0.02 7.83E-01 Inconclusive
KRT8 Alternative promoter Repression of promoter 1 -0.04 6.05E-01 -0.24 2.72E-06 0.04 6.05E-01 Inconclusive
ELOVL1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.13 2.87E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
RCAN1 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.09 1.26E-01 -0.01 8.69E-01 0.10 1.20E-01 Inconclusive
SORBS3 Alternative promoter Induction of promoter 2 0.11 7.96E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
MAT2A Alternative 3' end Repression of isoform 2 0.01 9.35E-01 0.18 7.83E-04 -0.21 8.42E-05 Opposite
CNNM2 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 1 0.05 3.95E-01 0.05 4.47E-01 -0.04 6.05E-01 Inconclusive
TMEM125 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 1 -- -- -0.16 2.80E-03 -- -- Not assessed
CBWD2 Alternative 3' end Induction of isoform 2 0.08 1.74E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
NDUFV3 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
0.11 7.48E-02 -0.05 4.72E-01 0.11 1.00E-01 Inconclusive
ZNF678 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
-0.02 7.43E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
ZNF121 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
-0.08 1.80E-01 0.03 6.48E-01 -0.09 1.82E-01 Inconclusive
SPATC1L Alternative exon Induction of isoform 2
(exon included)
-0.10 9.95E-02 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
MOCOS Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
0.03 6.33E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
RBM45 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
included)
0.08 1.71E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
MIPEP Alternative exon Repression of isoform 2
(exon excluded)
-0.16 4.48E-03 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
BBS4 Alternative exon Induction of isoform 2
(exon included)
-0.06 3.85E-01 -- -- -- -- Not assessed
FAM195A Alternative exon Switch to isoform 1 (exon
exluded)
0.06 3.37E-01 0.10 6.85E-02 -0.10 1.20E-01 Inconclusive
LINC01133 Alternative exon Induction of isoform 1
(exon excluded)
-- -- 0.00 9.72E-01 -- -- Not assessed
SS18 Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
0.04 5.68E-01 -0.04 5.46E-01 0.06 3.97E-01 Inconclusive
RHOC Alternative exon Switch to isoform 2 (exon
excluded)
0.15 6.05E-03 0.11 3.84E-02 0.11 1.00E-01 Inconclusive
ZNF226 Retained intron Switch to isoform 1 (intron
included)
-0.03 6.64E-01 -0.09 1.23E-01 0.07 3.35E-01 Inconclusive
Real-time PCR raw Ct values

Copyright: © 2018 Munkley J et al.

Data associated with the article are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero "No rights reserved" data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication).

Raw unedited western blot images

Copyright: © 2018 Munkley J et al.

Data associated with the article are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero "No rights reserved" data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication).

Discussion

The main function of the androgen receptor (AR) is as a DNA binding transcription factor that regulates gene expression. Here we show the AR can couple hormone induced gene transcription to alternative mRNA isoform expression in prostate cancer. In response to androgens, the AR can induce the use of alternative promoters, induce the expression of alternatively spliced mRNA isoforms, regulate the expression of non-coding mRNA transcripts, and promote the transcription of mRNA isoforms encoding different protein isoforms. Importantly, we also find that some of these alternative mRNA isoforms are differentially regulated in prostate cancer versus normal tissue and also significantly change expression during tumour progression. Our data suggest that most androgen regulated alternative mRNA isoforms are generated through alternative promoter selection rather than through internal alternative exon splicing mechanisms. This suggests expression of alternative isoforms of specific genes can be a consequence of RNA polymerase being recruited to different promoters in response to androgen stimulation. Alternative promoter usage has been observed for many genes and is believed to play a significant role in the control of gene expression 4, 105, 106. Alternative promoter use can also generate mRNA isoforms with distinct functional activities from the same gene, sometimes having opposing functions 11.

Androgen exposure further drives a smaller number of alternative splicing events suggesting that the AR could contribute to altered patterns of splicing in prostate cancer cells. Tumour progression is believed to be associated with a coordinated change in splicing patterns which is regulated by several factors including signalling molecules 7. We also identified 4 AR regulated alternative mRNA 3′ end isoform switches. This is the first time that regulation of 3′ mRNA end processing has been shown to be controlled by androgens. The selection of alternative 3′ ends can produce mRNA isoforms differing in the length of their 3′ UTRs (which can lead to the inclusion or exclusion of regulatory elements and influence gene expression), or in their C-terminal coding region (which can contribute to proteome diversity) 107114. Defective 3′ mRNA processing of numerous genes has been linked to an oncogenic phenotype 115119, and the 3′ mRNA end profiles of samples from multiple cancer types significantly differ from those of healthy tissue samples 115, 119121.

Based on the findings presented in this study, we propose that activated AR has the ability to coordinate both transcriptional activity and mRNA isoform decisions through the recruitment of co-regulators to specific promoters. The genomic action of the AR is influenced by a large number of collaborating transcription factors 122124. Specifically, Sam68 and p68 have been shown to modulate AR dependent alternative splicing of specific genes and are significantly overexpressed in prostate cancer 31, 32. In future work it will be important to define the role of specific AR co-regulators in AR mediated isoform selection.

Some of the androgen dependent mRNA isoforms identified here are predicted to yield protein isoforms that may be clinically important, or to switch off protein production via generation of noncoding mRNA isoforms. Although the functional significance of the alternative mRNA isoforms identified in this study is yet largely unexplored, as is their role in the cellular response to androgens, the presented results emphasize the importance of analysing gene regulation and function at the mRNA isoform level.

Data availability

The data referenced by this article are under copyright with the following copyright statement: Copyright: © 2018 Munkley J et al.

Data associated with the article are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero "No rights reserved" data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication). http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

The RNASeq data from LNCaP cells has been published previously https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.04.018 25

The RNAseq custom tracks are available in Supplementary File 1. To view these files please load them onto the UCSC website using the ‘My data’ tab and ‘custom tracks’. Then ‘Paste URLs or data’. The data is aligned to Feb 2009 (GRCh37/hg19).

Prostate adenocarcinoma cohort RNA-Seq data was downloaded from the Broad Institute TCGA Genome Analysis Center: Firehose 16/01/28 run https://doi.org/10.7908/C11G0KM9 43

Dataset 1: Real-time PCR raw Ct values 10.5256/f1000research.15604.d212873 41

Dataset 2: Raw unedited western blot images 10.5256/f1000research.15604.d212874 125

Funding Statement

This work was funded by Prostate Cancer UK [PG12-34, S13-020 and RIA16-ST2-011].

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

[version 1; referees: 3 approved]

Supplementary material

Supplementary Table 1: Details of primer sequences used.

Supplementary File 1: RNA-Seq reads custom tracks for visualisation on UCSC genome browser

Supplementary Figure 1: PCR validation of 17 androgen regulated alternative events.

Supplementary Figure 2: Differential alternative mRNA isoform expression in theTGCA PRAD cohort. Normal vs. tumour (unpaired samples) analysis. Violin-boxplots of expression in transcripts per million mapped reads (TPM) of Isoforms 1 (left panel) and 2 (central panel), and of their expression ratio in PSI (right panel) in normal and tumour samples. The mean log2 fold-change (logFC) in expression between tumour and normal samples and the associated FDR-adjusted p-value for the moderated t-statistic of differential expression are shown for both isoforms (left and central panels). The mean difference in PSI (deltaPSI) between tumour and normal samples and the associated FDR-adjusted p-value for the Mann-Whitney U test of differential splicing are shown (right panel).

Supplementary Figure 3: Differential alternative mRNA isoform expression in the TGCA PRAD cohort across different Gleason grades. Violin-boxplots of expression in transcripts per million mapped reads (TPM) of Isoforms 1 (left panel) and 2 (central panel), and of their expression ratio (right panel) by Gleason grade. Their respective Spearman’s correlation coefficient (Rho) with grade and associated FDR-adjusted p-value are shown.

Supplementary Figure 4: Differential alternative mRNA isoform expression in the TGCA PRAD cohort across different tumour stages. Violin-boxplots of expression in transcripts per million mapped reads (TPM) of Isoforms 1 (left panel) and 2 (central panel), and of their expression ratio (right panel) by tumour stage. Their respective Spearman’s correlation coefficient (Rho) with stage and associated FDR-adjusted p-value are shown.

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F1000Res. 2018 Oct 4. doi: 10.5256/f1000research.17022.r37702

Referee response for version 1

Jennifer Byrne 1

Prostate cancer is a common cancer in men that is driven in part through deregulated androgen signalling. The importance of androgen inhibitors in prostate cancer therapy and the clinical challenges posed by the development of androgen-resistant disease both justify the detailed description of the effects of androgen treatment on gene transcription and alternative splicing in prostate cancer cells. In this sense, the analyses reported by Munkley and colleagues represent valuable additions to the literature. However, further explanation of the results presented would increase the reader’s ability to understand these results and their significance, and to identify which results should be prioritised for further research. I have therefore provided some specific suggestions to increase the accessibility of the data as they are currently presented.

Specific comments

  1. The genes shown in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 5 are not shown in alphabetical order. It is unclear how these genes are ranked and why they are shown in the orders displayed. It would be helpful for any groupings of genes to be more clearly displayed in these tables where this is relevant.

  2. It would be helpful to more clearly indicate which findings are novel and which are supported by the literature in Tables and/or Figures.

  3. In Table 1, a number of genes are shown in bold, but this is not explained.

  4. In Table 1, it would be helpful to annotate the isoform ID’s shown (columns towards the right side of Table). What does “comparable” mean here?

  5. It is challenging to show data for a large number of genes, most of which the authors will not be familiar with. However, in Figure 2, incorrect information is shown for the TPD52 gene (panel A). The PrLZ isoform is actually longer than the TPD52 isoform (through an extended N-terminal sequence specific to PrLZ), yet the sizes of these isoforms indicated in the diagram at the right have been switched (TPD52 is incorrectly shown to be the longer isoform). The authors should check whether this is an isolated error or whether other data for the TPD52 and PrLZ isoforms have been switched (for example in Figure 3).

  6. It would be helpful for Table 4 to include percentages as well as sample numbers so that readers can compare the composition of the TCGA PRAD cohort with other published cohorts.

  7. Analyses compared differential isoform expression in prostate cancer and normal tissue. The cohort included 497 prostate cancer patients, for which 52 had matched normal tissue (Table 5, Figure 3). I’ve assumed that these analyses compared transcript levels in the 497 prostate cancer cases with those in the 52 normal tissue cases. However, given that the 52 normal tissue cases had matched tumour samples available, were analyses conducted to compare the 52 matched cases? These analyses could be argued to be more robust through comparing matched samples, albeit in a smaller cohort.

  8. Table 5 should indicate the numbers of tumour and normal tissue samples compared.

  9. Some data in Tables 5, 6, and 6 are shown in bold, but this is not explained.

  10. I could not open Dataset 2. Could this be made available as a pdf file?

  11. All violin plots (Figures 3-5, also supplementary data) should specify the sample numbers compared, either below the X axis or in the figure legend if the same sample numbers apply to every plot shown.

I have read this submission. I believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

F1000Res. 2018 Sep 18. doi: 10.5256/f1000research.17022.r38286

Referee response for version 1

Cyril F Bourgeois 1

This paper by Munkley and colleagues identifies in a comprehensive manner novel alternative mRNA isoforms regulated by androgens. Interestingly most isoforms result from a choice between alternative promoters, suggesting that regulation takes place mostly at the transcriptional level, but they identified also a few alternative cassette exons and 3' ends. They show experimental validation for 17 isoforms. Beside increasing the number of identified genes in the context of androgen-treated prostate cancer LNCaP cells, the authors analysed the expression of those new isoforms in a large cohort of prostate tumours. They found the expression of some of the mRNA isoforms is positively correlated in the androgen-treated cell and in cancer versus normal samples, and find further correlation with the tumour grade and stage for 3 alternative isoforms.

Overall this is an interesting work that clearly deserves to be published, as it reveals new potentially interesting target genes for prostate cancer. I have only a couple of comments/questions that may help to improve the strength of the manuscript.

Did the authors try to experimentally validate the regulation of alternative isoforms for the 3 most interesting genes, i.e. OSBPL1A, CLK3 and TSC22D3, which is correlated to tumour stage ? As these new isoforms are predicted to alter the protein sequence, is it possible to discuss or predict what could be the impact of these modifications for these proteins, with regards to what is known about their function and/or in the context of prostate cancer?

Looking at the RNA-seq profiles for the validated examples, it seems to me that in some cases, especially for RLN1 and RLN2, regulation of promoter choice correspond also to changes in the 3 end of the transcript (the peak seems to be shifted to the 3' end). Such examples may have escaped the in silico prediction, but can you make any comment on this ?

I have read this submission. I believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

F1000Res. 2018 Sep 5. doi: 10.5256/f1000research.17022.r36819

Referee response for version 1

Sebastian Oltean 1

Prostate cancer (PCa) is still a significant health problem in UK and across the world. Though a small minority of patients progress to aggressive forms, the absolute number is quite significant due to the high incidence of PCa among men. Therefore, investigation of molecular mechanisms of PCa progression is very important and will hopefully unravel novel therapeutic targets.

Alternative splicing (AS) has been shown to occur in over 94% of genes in humans. It is therefore a crucial level of gene regulation and not surprisingly involved in virtually every physiological and pathological process. AS de-regulation has been implicated in many diseases, including cancer and in particular PCa, and interestingly, many times it has been shown to drive cancer pathology independently of transcription.

Since androgens are main players in PCa, the idea of analysing global changes in AS in response to androgens is very welcome to the field. The authors found 10 times more AS isoforms regulated by androgens than previously reported in data from cell culture, most of them occurring through alternative promoter mechanism. They have confirmed and validated part of these changes. They have also analysed the isoforms changes between adenocarcinoma and normal tissues as well as during progression through the Gleason stages of PCa.

This is a very well thought and executed study, with may informative results. I have a suggestion for the discussion part:

  •  one issue in global analysis of splice isoforms is which ones are causal (ie maintain and aggravate the phenotype) and which ones are just associated with the pathological progression; while a full answer to this would need experimental evidence on each individual splicing event, could the authors discuss 1-2 examples, if possible, where the changes at protein level (either sequence or expression level of a particular isoform) would hypothetically have a causal role

I have read this submission. I believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

Associated Data

    This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

    Supplementary Materials

    Real-time PCR raw Ct values

    Copyright: © 2018 Munkley J et al.

    Data associated with the article are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero "No rights reserved" data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication).

    Raw unedited western blot images

    Copyright: © 2018 Munkley J et al.

    Data associated with the article are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero "No rights reserved" data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication).

    Data Availability Statement

    The data referenced by this article are under copyright with the following copyright statement: Copyright: © 2018 Munkley J et al.

    Data associated with the article are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero "No rights reserved" data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication). http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

    The RNASeq data from LNCaP cells has been published previously https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.04.018 25

    The RNAseq custom tracks are available in Supplementary File 1. To view these files please load them onto the UCSC website using the ‘My data’ tab and ‘custom tracks’. Then ‘Paste URLs or data’. The data is aligned to Feb 2009 (GRCh37/hg19).

    Prostate adenocarcinoma cohort RNA-Seq data was downloaded from the Broad Institute TCGA Genome Analysis Center: Firehose 16/01/28 run https://doi.org/10.7908/C11G0KM9 43

    Dataset 1: Real-time PCR raw Ct values 10.5256/f1000research.15604.d212873 41

    Dataset 2: Raw unedited western blot images 10.5256/f1000research.15604.d212874 125


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