# 2/2 Pilot Project 2: Langston University-UNTHSC Partnership for Cancer Research and Education

> **NIH NIH P20** · LANGSTON UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $44,521

## Abstract

Research Summary:
The mechanism by which the prostate cancer cells colonize the bone environment and develop resistance to
prevent or treat prostate cancer bone metastasis is critical to increase the survival rate of advanced prostate
cancer patients. Annexin A2 (AnxA2) protein is overexpressed in metastatic prostate tumors and promotes cell
migration and invasion by activating plasminogen and cleaving extracellular matrix. AnxA2 plays a critical role
in hematopoietic stem cell localization to the marrow niche. AnxA2 serves as an adhesion molecule and
regulates osteogenic differentiation, yet the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesize that PTEN
loss or mutation causes the increased translocation of AnxA2 to the outer cell surface which promotes prostate
tumor metastasis to bone. The rationale for this hypothesis is based on our findings that demonstrated the higher
expression of cell surface AnxA2 in PTEN null or mutated prostate cancer cell lines compared to wild-type
PTEN prostate cancer cell lines because of increased phosphorylation of AnxA2 at Tyr-23 in PTEN null or
mutated prostate cancer cell lines. The goal of the proposed study is to establish the correlation between PTEN
loss and increased cell surface expression of AnxA2 in prostate cancer. In addition, we will establish that
AnxA2 is an important phenomenon for prostate tumor bone metastasis. The proposed work will enhance our
understanding on the role of cell surface AnxA2 in prostate cancer bone metastasis and could potentially be
used as an important therapeutic target. The proposed work will provide the stepping stones for the
development of a novel targeted therapy that may translate into an effective treatment regimen against advanced
prostate cancer.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10248468
- **Project number:** 5P20CA233391-04
- **Recipient organization:** LANGSTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Christianna Howard-Smith
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $44,521
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10248468

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10248468, 2/2 Pilot Project 2: Langston University-UNTHSC Partnership for Cancer Research and Education (5P20CA233391-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10248468. Licensed CC0.

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