NEIL3 Promotes the Carcinogenesis of Prostate Cancer by Activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Nei endonuclease VIII-like 3 (NEIL3) plays important roles in diverse cancers. In this study, we found that NEIL3 was over-expressed in PCa tissues and cell lines. NEIL3 over-expression is associated with worse prognostic outcomes in PCa patients. In vitro, PCa cell proliferation, invasion, and migration could be significantly inhibited with knocking down NEIL3 by inactivating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Besides, based on the results of RNA-sequencing, we found that the protein expression of high-mobility gene group A2 and androgen receptor (AR) were decreased in C4-2 cells treated with siNEIL3. Therefore, this result suggests that NEIL3 regulates the progression of PCa by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and the expression of AR.