Pokemon, also known as
leukemia/
lymphoma-related factor (LRF) is a pro-oncogenic
protein highly expressed in several
cancers. There have been few in vitro and animal studies about its malignant
biological behavior and function, however, its role especially in
prostate cancer has not been completely elucidated. Therefore, in this study, we identified that Pokemon is overexpressed in human
prostate cancer tissue samples, and its suppression inhibits proliferation of
prostate cancer cells, along with promotion of apoptosis. Furthermore, to explore the mechanism by which Pokemon promotes
tumor progression, we observed that it binds to the promoter of STRN4 (striatin 4), a downstream target, and subsequently regulates its expression. In conclusion, our study indicated that Pokemon through stimulation of STRN4 expression promotes prostate
tumor progression via a Pokemon /STRN4 axis.