Pituitary tumor transforming gene binding factor (PBF) is required for androgen-induced prostate cancer proliferation and invasion.

Pituitary tumor transforming gene binding factor (PBF) is a proto-oncogene that plays a role in many cancers; however, its involvement in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. Here, we examined PBF expression in clinical specimens and investigated its regulation and function in human PCa cell lines. Immunohistochemical staining of patient tissues revealed higher PBF expression in PCa than in benign prostatic hyperplasia or adjacent normal prostate specimens. In LNCaP and 22Rv1 cells, PBF expression was upregulated by androgen treatment in a manner partially blocked by the androgen receptor (AR) antagonist bicalutamide. We identified a novel androgen response element in the PBF gene promoter and demonstrated its functional relevance using luciferase reporter assays. Androgen treatment of LNCaP cells induced binding between the endogenous AR and the androgen response element in PBF, as measured by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Finally, RNA interference of PBF expression significantly reduced androgen-induced LNCaP cell growth and invasion. Thus, PBF is a novel AR target gene and plays a role in androgen-induced proliferation and metastatic functions in PCa cells.