# Elucidating the Role of Long Interspersed Element-1 (LINE-1) Expression and Retrotransposition in Prostate Cancer Progression

> **NIH NIH F31** · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $39,753

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer
related deaths for men in the United States. Significant progress has been made in successfully treating early
stage, localized prostate cancer. However, the treatment of advanced prostate cancer continues to be a
significant challenge facing the scientific and medical communities. Patients diagnosed with advanced prostate
cancer commonly experience initial disease regression after undergoing treatment with androgen deprivation
therapy. Yet, due to the genomic and histological heterogeneity of prostate tumors, the effectiveness of these
treatments are relatively short lived, and patients progress to incurable and therapeutic resistant castration
resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Our studies aim to better understand the mechanisms that contribute to
prostate cancer progression by investigating the activity of the transposable element, Long Interspersed
Element-1 (LINE-1), in prostate cancer. LINE-1, also known as a “jumping gene,” can create new insertions of
itself in the genome, disrupting gene expression and genome architecture. To maintain genomic stability,
LINE-1 expression is silenced in healthy somatic cells. However, recent studies have demonstrated the re-
expression of LINE-1 proteins and active mobilization of LINE-1 in many cancers, including prostate cancer.
New LINE-1 insertions have the potential to drive to genomic instability and tumor heterogeneity, two factors
that have been shown to contribute to prostate cancer progression and the development of therapeutic
resistance. Additionally, LINE-1 proteins may serve alternative functions when expressed in cancer. Yet, little
is known regarding the function of LINE-1 encoded proteins in retrotransposition or their putative function in
other cellular processes in prostate cancer progression. In this proposal, we will explore the effects of LINE-1
expression in prostate cancer, further investigating its possible contribution to the progression and
development of therapeutic resistance. By utilizing primary prostate cancer tissue and cellular models, we will
examine the role endogenous LINE-1 protein expression and LINE-1 mobilization during prostate cancer
progression. The aims of this proposal are (I) assess LINE-1 expression and retrotransposition correlation with
clinical outcome, (II) characterize the function of LINE-1 proteins in prostate cancer, and (III) determine the role
of ORF2 phosphorylation in protein stability and degradation. Our long-term goal is to better understand the
function of LINE-1 in prostate cancer in hope of developing effective therapeutic treatments for advanced
CRPC.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9972873
- **Project number:** 5F31CA225053-03
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Erica Briggs
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $39,753
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-23 → 2021-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9972873

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9972873, Elucidating the Role of Long Interspersed Element-1 (LINE-1) Expression and Retrotransposition in Prostate Cancer Progression (5F31CA225053-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9972873. Licensed CC0.

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