May 11, 2026

Using autochthonous transgenic mouse designs for inducible FGFR1 (JOCK1) and prostate-specific and ubiquitously indicated inducible -catenin (Pro-Cat and Ubi-Cat, respectively) and bigenic crosses between these lines (Pro-Cat JOCK1 and Ubi-Cat JOCK1), we describe WNT-induced synergistic acceleration of FGFR1-driven adenocarcinoma, associated with a pronounced fibroblastic reactive stroma activation surrounding prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (mPIN) lesions found both in situ and reconstitution assays

Using autochthonous transgenic mouse designs for inducible FGFR1 (JOCK1) and prostate-specific and ubiquitously indicated inducible -catenin (Pro-Cat and Ubi-Cat, respectively) and bigenic crosses between these lines (Pro-Cat JOCK1 and Ubi-Cat JOCK1), we describe WNT-induced synergistic acceleration of FGFR1-driven adenocarcinoma, associated with a pronounced fibroblastic reactive stroma activation surrounding prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (mPIN) lesions found both in situ and reconstitution assays. of FGFR1-driven adenocarcinoma, associated with a pronounced fibroblastic reactive stroma activation surrounding prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (mPIN) lesions found out both in situ and reconstitution assays. Both mouse and human being reactive stroma exhibited improved transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-) signaling adjacent to pathologic lesions likely contributing to invasion. Furthermore, elevated stromal TGF- signaling was associated with higher Gleason scores in archived human being biopsies, mirroring murine patterns. Our findings establish the importance of the FGFR1-WNT-TGF- signaling axes as traveling causes behind reactive stroma in aggressive prostate adenocarcinomas, deepening their relevance as restorative targets. Keywords:Prostate Malignancy, Reactive Stroma, FGFR1, WNT, TGF- == Intro == Cancer growth and metastasis require proliferation, cell migration, and stromal redesigning, functions also crucial during organogenesis and wound restoration. The fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) perform pivotal IB-MECA functions in development, wound healing and tumorigenesis (1). FGFR1 is definitely a receptor tyrosine kinase that signals through the RAF/MEK/MAPK-ERK1/2 kinase cascade and PI3K/AKT axis, both of which are well explained oncogenic pathways, shown to promote androgen-independence IB-MECA in prostate malignancy (2,3). WNT signaling is vital for embryogenesis, homeostasis of adult cells, and wound restoration, as well as being associated with malignancy (411). In the absence of WNT ligands, the GSK-3-comprising damage complex phosphorylates -catenin, focusing on it for proteasomal degradation (4). Canonical WNT signaling entails WNT ligands binding to co-receptors Frizzled and lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP)-5/6, facilitating disruption of the damage complex, permitting -catenin to translocate to the nucleus. There are numerous examples of FGF and WNT signaling cooperating in development and tumorigenesis (1214). In mammary cells, FGFR1 rapidly acceleratesWnt-1-induced carcinomas (15), while FGFR1 focuses on, MAPK/pERK, are known to modulate WNT signaling and colorectal tumorigenicity (16). WNT signaling also cooperates with triggered K-RAS and is upregulated in FGFR1-driven prostate malignancy (10,17). Additionally, recent questions of two self-employed databases exposed a modulation of either FGF and/or canonical Wnt signaling users in 81% and 92% of completely characterized prostate adenocarcinoma instances, respectively. Modulation of both pathways within the same case occurred 38% and 72% of the instances, respectively (18). Furthermore, tumor-associated reactive stroma is similar to hyper-proliferative stroma found during wound restoration. Appropriately, mechanical injury modulates the FGF and WNT, as well as TGF-, signaling pathways (1924). Finally, the manifestation of FGF, WNT and TGF- signaling primes bone metastatic niches. These complex developmental and wound-repair relationships support the synergistic assistance of these signaling pathways in carcinogenesis that includes a poorly recognized, complementary stromal component. We hypothesized that FGFR1 and canonical Wnt signaling, within the same epithelia cells (intracellular), should accelerate tumor progression, given previously explained data (discussed below). However, it was unclear whether (intra / intercellular) paracrine signals derived from connected stromal cells would further accelerate tumor progression, producing a second potential target for therapeutic treatment. In order to study epithelial FGFR1 signaling, we previously generated the synthetic ligand-inducible FGFR1 transgenic mouse model, JOCK1, via use of the prostate epithelium-specific, composite probasin promoter, ARR2PB (25). Addition of a lipid-permeable chemical inducer of dimerization (CID), AP20187, causes the intracellular signaling domains of FGFR1 to oligomerize, inducing downstream signaling (26,27). We previously shown that long term induction (~ 60 weeks) of FGFR1 results in a step-wise progression to invasive IB-MECA prostate malignancy with distant metastasis (17). Furthermore, we recently shown that induced aggregation of the WNT co-receptor LRP5, is sufficient to induce -catenin stabilization, much like canonical WNT signaling (28). We consequently designed two novel transgenic mouse models wherein WNT signaling can be specifically activated in the prostate epithelium, yielding Pro-Cat mice (Prostatic Activator of -catenin; ARR2PB promoter) or ubiquitously, in Ubi-Cat mice (Ubiquitous Activator of -catenin; H-2Kbpromoter) (28). Interestingly, Pro-Cat mice do not progress beyond prostatic hyperplasia; however, after a 12 months of induction, by which time murine prostatic epithelia can undergo natural wounding (29), two out of six Ubi-Cat PDGFC mice developed adenocarcinoma (28). Furthermore, WNT signaling derived from Ubi-Cat adult stroma enhanced prostate cells reconstitutions, further assisting an additional part for stromal WNT signaling in tumorigenesis (28). With this report, we delineate synergism between FGF and WNT pathways across different sub-tissue layers in prostate carcinogenesis by crossing Pro-Cat.