To address elements that might uniquely characterize EGR-1 mediated signaling, the expression of two transcription factors, namely, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) were studied. PC-3 and LNCaP prostate carcinoma cell lines were transiently transfected with wild-type Egr-1 expression plasmid (pCMV-Egr-1) and treated with cisplatin and TPA. Overexpression of EGR-1 was found to induce nuclear expression of both, NF-κB and AP1. However, the intensity of the induced AP-1 and NF-κB was diminished after cisplatin treatment, but not after TPA. Our findings confirm that the overexpression of wild-type Egr-1 caused a marked increase in cell proliferation in PC-3 and LNCaP proliferation in a 14-day soft agar colony forming assay. In addition, luciferase reporter gene assay showed that the transcriptional activity of AP-1 and NF-κB in PC-3 and LNCaP prostate carcinoma cell lines was also modulated by the overexpression of EGR-1 in these cells using tandem repeated Luc-AP-1 and Luc-NF-κB. The activation of both NF-κB and AP-1 are key steps in the cascade of events following the activation of the EGR-1 gene. It was revealed that overexpression of EGR-1 selectively increased AP-1 and NF-κB activation, and that the activation of these nuclear factors appears to be essential for the induction of proliferation and anchorage independence in activated PC-3 and LNCaP cells. However, the mechanism underlying the modulation of AP-1 and NF-κB by the overexpression of EGR-1 is still unknown.

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