STAT3-dependent systems-level analysis reveals PDK4 as an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) has a broad spectrum of clinical behaviour, hence biomarkers are urgently needed for risk stratification. We previously described the protective effect of STAT3 in a prostate cancer mouse model. By utilizing a gene co-expression network in addition to laser microdissected proteomics from human and murine prostate FFPE samples, we describe STAT3-induced downregulation of the TCA cycle/OXPHOS in PCa on transcriptomic and proteomic level. We identify pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4), a key regulator of the TCA cycle, as a promising independent prognostic marker in PCa. PDK4 predicts disease recurrence independent of diagnostic risk factors such as grading, staging and PSA level. Furthermore, PDK4 expression is causally linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is known to have a protective effect on PCa. We conclude that this effect is related to PDK4 expression and that PDK4 loss could serve as a biomarker for PCa with dismal prognosis.