1
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Wang L, Lin H, Yang B, Jiang X, Chen J, Chowdhury SR, Cheng N, Nakata PA, Lonard DM, Wang MC, Wang J. Development of a Novel Amplifiable System to Quantify Hydrogen Peroxide in Living Cells. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:22396-22404. [PMID: 39079063 PMCID: PMC11722959 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c05366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Although many redox signaling molecules are present at low concentrations, typically ranging from micromolar to submicromolar levels, they often play essential roles in a wide range of biological pathways and disease mechanisms. However, accurately measuring low-abundant analytes has been a significant challenge due to the lack of sensitivity and quantitative capability of existing measurement methods. In this study, we introduced a novel chemically induced amplifiable system for quantifying low-abundance redox signaling molecules in living cells. We utilized H2O2 as a proof-of-concept analyte and developed a probe that quantifies cellular peroxide levels by combining the NanoBiT system with androgen receptor dimerization as a reporting mechanism. Our system demonstrated a highly sensitive response to cellular peroxide changes induced both endogenously and exogenously. Furthermore, the system can be adapted for the quantification of other signaling molecules if provided with suitable probing chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingfei Wang
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Hanfeng Lin
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
- Center for NextGen Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Bin Yang
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
- Center for NextGen Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Xiqian Jiang
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Jianwei Chen
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Sandipan Roy Chowdhury
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
- Center for NextGen Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Ninghui Cheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Paul A. Nakata
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - David M. Lonard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Meng. C. Wang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Huffington Center on Aging, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Jin Wang
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
- Center for NextGen Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
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2
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Lisberg A, Liu Y, Merry DE. Blocking the dimerization of polyglutamine-expanded androgen receptor protects cells from DHT-induced toxicity by increasing AR turnover. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107246. [PMID: 38556081 PMCID: PMC11067348 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a neuromuscular degenerative disease caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the androgen receptor (AR). This mutation causes AR to misfold and aggregate, contributing to toxicity in and degeneration of motor neurons and skeletal muscle. There is currently no effective treatment or cure for this disease. The role of an interdomain interaction between the amino- and carboxyl-termini of AR, termed the N/C interaction, has been previously identified as a component of androgen receptor-induced toxicity in cell and mouse models of SBMA. However, the mechanism by which this interaction contributes to disease pathology is unclear. This work seeks to investigate this mechanism by interrogating the role of AR homodimerization- a unique form of the N/C-interaction- in SBMA. We show that, although the AR N/C-interaction is reduced by polyglutamine-expansion, homodimers of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-bound AR are increased. Additionally, blocking homodimerization results in decreased AR aggregation and toxicity in cell models. Blocking homodimerization results in the increased degradation of AR, which likely plays a role in the protective effects of this mutation. Overall, this work identifies a novel mechanism in SBMA pathology that may represent a novel target for the development of therapeutics for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Lisberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yuhong Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Diane E Merry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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3
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Riley CM, Elwood JML, Henry MC, Hunter I, Daniel Lopez-Fernandez J, McEwan IJ, Jamieson C. Current and emerging approaches to noncompetitive AR inhibition. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:1701-1747. [PMID: 37062876 DOI: 10.1002/med.21961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) has been shown to be a key determinant in the pathogenesis of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The current standard of care therapies targets the ligand-binding domain of the receptor and can afford improvements to life expectancy often only in the order of months before resistance occurs. Emerging preclinical and clinical compounds that inhibit receptor activity via differentiated mechanisms of action which are orthogonal to current antiandrogens show promise for overcoming treatment resistance. In this review, we present an authoritative summary of molecules that noncompetitively target the AR. Emerging small molecule strategies for targeting alternative domains of the AR represent a promising area of research that shows significant potential for future therapies. The overall quality of lead candidates in the area of noncompetitive AR inhibition is discussed, and it identifies the key chemotypes and associated properties which are likely to be, or are currently, positioned to be first in human applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Riley
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jessica M L Elwood
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Martyn C Henry
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Irene Hunter
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | - Iain J McEwan
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Craig Jamieson
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
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4
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Alegre-Martí A, Jiménez-Panizo A, Martínez-Tébar A, Poulard C, Peralta-Moreno MN, Abella M, Antón R, Chiñas M, Eckhard U, Piulats JM, Rojas AM, Fernández-Recio J, Rubio-Martínez J, Le Romancer M, Aytes Á, Fuentes-Prior P, Estébanez-Perpiñá E. A hotspot for posttranslational modifications on the androgen receptor dimer interface drives pathology and anti-androgen resistance. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade2175. [PMID: 36921044 PMCID: PMC10017050 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade2175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Mutations of the androgen receptor (AR) associated with prostate cancer and androgen insensitivity syndrome may profoundly influence its structure, protein interaction network, and binding to chromatin, resulting in altered transcription signatures and drug responses. Current structural information fails to explain the effect of pathological mutations on AR structure-function relationship. Here, we have thoroughly studied the effects of selected mutations that span the complete dimer interface of AR ligand-binding domain (AR-LBD) using x-ray crystallography in combination with in vitro, in silico, and cell-based assays. We show that these variants alter AR-dependent transcription and responses to anti-androgens by inducing a previously undescribed allosteric switch in the AR-LBD that increases exposure of a major methylation target, Arg761. We also corroborate the relevance of residues Arg761 and Tyr764 for AR dimerization and function. Together, our results reveal allosteric coupling of AR dimerization and posttranslational modifications as a disease mechanism with implications for precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Alegre-Martí
- Structural Biology of Nuclear Receptors, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba Jiménez-Panizo
- Structural Biology of Nuclear Receptors, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adrián Martínez-Tébar
- Programs of Molecular Mechanisms and Experimental Therapeutics in Oncology (ONCOBell) and Cancer Therapeutics Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Coralie Poulard
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, CNRS UMR5286, Inserm U1502, University of Lyon, 69000 Lyon, France
| | - M. Núria Peralta-Moreno
- Department of Materials Science and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Institut de Recerca en Química Teorica i Computacional (IQTCUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Abella
- Structural Biology of Nuclear Receptors, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Antón
- Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marcos Chiñas
- Programs of Molecular Mechanisms and Experimental Therapeutics in Oncology (ONCOBell) and Cancer Therapeutics Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Cuernavaca, 61740 Morelos, Mexico
| | - Ulrich Eckhard
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep M. Piulats
- Programs of Molecular Mechanisms and Experimental Therapeutics in Oncology (ONCOBell) and Cancer Therapeutics Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana M. Rojas
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD-CSIC), 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Juan Fernández-Recio
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (ICVV-CSIC), CSIC-UR-Gobierno de La Rioja, 26007 Logroño, Spain
| | - Jaime Rubio-Martínez
- Department of Materials Science and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Institut de Recerca en Química Teorica i Computacional (IQTCUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Muriel Le Romancer
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, CNRS UMR5286, Inserm U1502, University of Lyon, 69000 Lyon, France
| | - Álvaro Aytes
- Programs of Molecular Mechanisms and Experimental Therapeutics in Oncology (ONCOBell) and Cancer Therapeutics Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo Fuentes-Prior
- Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Estébanez-Perpiñá
- Structural Biology of Nuclear Receptors, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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5
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Mohamed OAA, Tesen HS, Hany M, Sherif A, Abdelwahab MM, Elnaggar MH. The role of hypoxia on prostate cancer progression and metastasis. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:3873-3884. [PMID: 36787054 PMCID: PMC10042974 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08251-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in men and the fifth-leading cause of cancer death in men worldwide. Like any solid tumor, the hypoxic microenvironment of prostatic cancer drives hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) to mediate cell adaptions to hypoxic conditions. HIFs direct different signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt/mTOR, NOX, and Wnt/β-Catenin to tumor progression depending on the degree of hypoxia. HIFs regulate cytoskeleton protein expression, promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which occurs when cancer cells lose cell-to-cell adhesions and start invasion and metastasis. Through activating pathways, the hypoxic microenvironment maintains the self-renewal, potency, and anti-apoptotic function of prostate cancer cells and induces tumor metastasis and transformation. These pathways could serve as a potential target for prostate cancer therapy. HIFs increase the expression of androgen receptors on cancer cells maintaining the growth and survival of prostate cancer and the development of its castration resistance. In this review, we elaborate on the role of hypoxia in prostatic cancer pathogenesis and different hypoxia-induced mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama A A Mohamed
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Dakahlia, Egypt.,Biomedical Research Department, Tetraploid Team, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Heba S Tesen
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.,Biomedical Research Department, Tetraploid Team, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Marwa Hany
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Aya Sherif
- Chemistry & Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.,Biomedical Research Department, Tetraploid Team, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Maya Magdy Abdelwahab
- Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt. .,Biomedical Research Department, Tetraploid Team, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Muhammed H Elnaggar
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.,Biomedical Research Department, Tetraploid Team, Cairo, Egypt
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6
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Aarts JMMJG, Alink GM, Franssen HJ, Roebroeks W. Evolution of Hominin Detoxification: Neanderthal and Modern Human Ah Receptor Respond Similarly to TCDD. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:1292-1305. [PMID: 33230523 PMCID: PMC8042735 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In studies of hominin adaptations to fire use, the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in the evolution of detoxification has been highlighted, including statements that the modern human AHR confers a significantly better capacity to deal with toxic smoke components than the Neanderthal AHR. To evaluate this, we compared the AHR-controlled induction of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) mRNA in HeLa human cervix epithelial adenocarcinoma cells transfected with an Altai-Neanderthal or a modern human reference AHR expression construct, and exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). We compared the complete AHR mRNA sequences including the untranslated regions (UTRs), maintaining the original codon usage. We observe no significant difference in CYP1A1 induction by TCDD between Neanderthal and modern human AHR, whereas a 150–1,000 times difference was previously reported in a study of the AHR coding region optimized for mammalian codon usage and expressed in rat cells. Our study exemplifies that expression in a homologous cellular background is of major importance to determine (ancient) protein activity. The Neanderthal and modern human dose–response curves almost coincide, except for a slightly higher extrapolated maximum for the Neanderthal AHR, possibly caused by a 5′-UTR G-variant known from modern humans (rs7796976). Our results are strongly at odds with a major role of the modern human AHR in the evolution of hominin detoxification of smoke components and consistent with our previous study based on 18 relevant genes in addition to AHR, which concluded that efficient detoxification alleles are more dominant in ancient hominins, chimpanzees, and gorillas than in modern humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jac M M J G Aarts
- Human Origins Group, Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gerrit M Alink
- Human Origins Group, Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Henk J Franssen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wil Roebroeks
- Human Origins Group, Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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7
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Rayevsky A, Sirokha D, Samofalova D, Lozhko D, Gorodna O, Prokopenko I, Livshits L. Functional Effects In Silico Prediction for Androgen Receptor Ligand-Binding Domain Novel I836S Mutation. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:659. [PMID: 34357031 PMCID: PMC8303243 DOI: 10.3390/life11070659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Over 1000 mutations are described in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. Of those, about 600 were found in androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) patients, among which 400 mutations affect the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the AR protein. Recently, we reported a novel missense mutation c.2507T>G I836S (ClinVarID: 974911) in a patient with complete AIS (CAIS) phenotype. In the present study, we applied a set of computational approaches for the structural analysis of the ligand-binding domains in a wild-type and mutant AR to evaluate the functional impact of the novel I836S mutation. We revealed that the novel I836S substitution leads to a shorter existence time of the ligand's gating tunnel and internal cavity, occurring only in the presence of S836 phosphorylation. Additionally, the analysis of phosphorylation of the 836 mutant residues explained the negative impact on AR homodimerization, since monomer surface changes indirectly impacted the binding site. Our analyses provide evidence that I836S causes disruptions of AR protein functionality and development of CAIS clinical features in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Rayevsky
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 04123 Kyiv, Ukraine; (A.R.); (D.S.)
- Department of Molecular Modeling, Enamine Ltd., 02094 Kyiv, Ukraine
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine; (D.S.); (D.L.); (O.G.)
| | - Dmytro Sirokha
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine; (D.S.); (D.L.); (O.G.)
| | - Dariia Samofalova
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 04123 Kyiv, Ukraine; (A.R.); (D.S.)
- R&D Department, Life Chemicals Inc., 1a DIXIE AVE, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0, Canada
| | - Dmytro Lozhko
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine; (D.S.); (D.L.); (O.G.)
| | - Olexandra Gorodna
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine; (D.S.); (D.L.); (O.G.)
| | - Inga Prokopenko
- Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, School of Biosciences & Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
- UMR 8199-EGID, Institut Pasteur de Lille, CNRS, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Liudmyla Livshits
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine; (D.S.); (D.L.); (O.G.)
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8
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Steroid receptor-coregulator transcriptional complexes: new insights from CryoEM. Essays Biochem 2021; 65:857-866. [PMID: 34061186 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20210019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Steroid receptors activate gene transcription through recruitment of a number of coregulators to facilitate histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and general transcription machinery stabilization. Understanding the structures of full-length steroid receptor and coregulatory complexes has been difficult due to their large molecular sizes and dynamic structural conformations. Recent developments in cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) technology and proteomics have advanced the structural studies of steroid receptor complexes. Here, we will review the insights we learned from cryoEM studies of the estrogen and androgen receptor transcriptional complexes. Despite similar domain organizations, the two receptors have different coregulator interaction modes. The cryoEM structures now have revealed the fundamental differences between the two receptors and their functional mechanisms.
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9
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Tajouri A, Kharrat M, Trabelsi M, M'rad R, Hiort O, Werner R. In vitro functional characterization of androgen receptor gene mutations at arginine p.856 of the ligand-binding-domain associated with androgen insensitivity syndrome. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 208:105834. [PMID: 33548461 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Androgens are critical for male sex differentiation. Their actions are mediated by the androgen receptor (AR). Mutations disrupting AR function result in the androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS). In this study, we identified in a patient with complete AIS, a novel AR mutation p.R856L. To investigate the functional properties of p.R856L, we performed functional studies. In comparison, we have characterized two already described mutations: p.R856H and p.R856C. We used a model composed of two different promoters fused to a reporter gene, two cell lines, and showed that all mutations were able to transactivate the (ARE)2-TATA promoter expressed in CHO cells more highly. Moreover, we confirmed the pathogenicity of the p.R856L and p.R856C mutations, and their associations with complete AIS. In contrast, the p.R856H mutation, which is associated with a spectrum of AIS phenotypes, showed less severe transcriptional constraints. Altogether, our studies allowed us to better characterize arginine residue at p.R856 position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Tajouri
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, LR99ES10 Human Genetics Laboratory, 1007, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Luebeck, 23562, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Maher Kharrat
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, LR99ES10 Human Genetics Laboratory, 1007, Tunis, Tunisia.
| | - Mediha Trabelsi
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, LR99ES10 Human Genetics Laboratory, 1007, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Congenital and Hereditary Diseases, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ridha M'rad
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, LR99ES10 Human Genetics Laboratory, 1007, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Congenital and Hereditary Diseases, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Olaf Hiort
- Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Luebeck, 23562, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Ralf Werner
- Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Luebeck, 23562, Luebeck, Germany; Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Luebeck, 23562, Luebeck, Germany.
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10
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Yu X, Yi P, Hamilton RA, Shen H, Chen M, Foulds CE, Mancini MA, Ludtke SJ, Wang Z, O'Malley BW. Structural Insights of Transcriptionally Active, Full-Length Androgen Receptor Coactivator Complexes. Mol Cell 2020; 79:812-823.e4. [PMID: 32668201 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.06.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Steroid receptors activate gene transcription by recruiting coactivators to initiate transcription of their target genes. For most nuclear receptors, the ligand-dependent activation function domain-2 (AF-2) is a primary contributor to the nuclear receptor (NR) transcriptional activity. In contrast to other steroid receptors, such as ERα, the activation function of androgen receptor (AR) is largely dependent on its ligand-independent AF-1 located in its N-terminal domain (NTD). It remains unclear why AR utilizes a different AF domain from other receptors despite that NRs share similar domain organizations. Here, we present cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of DNA-bound full-length AR and its complex structure with key coactivators, SRC-3 and p300. AR dimerization follows a unique head-to-head and tail-to-tail manner. Unlike ERα, AR directly contacts a single SRC-3 and p300. The AR NTD is the primary site for coactivator recruitment. The structures provide a basis for understanding assembly of the AR:coactivator complex and its domain contributions for coactivator assembly and transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhe Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ping Yi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ross A Hamilton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hong Shen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Muyuan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Charles E Foulds
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Michael A Mancini
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Steven J Ludtke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Bert W O'Malley
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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11
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Narayanan R. Therapeutic targeting of the androgen receptor (AR) and AR variants in prostate cancer. Asian J Urol 2020; 7:271-283. [PMID: 32742927 PMCID: PMC7385518 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajur.2020.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) accounted for over 300 000 deaths world-wide in 2018. Most of the PCa deaths occurred due to the aggressive castration-resistant PCa (CRPC). Since the androgen receptor (AR) and its ligands contribute to the continued growth of androgen-dependent PCa (ADPCa) and CRPC, AR has become a well-characterized and pivotal therapeutic-target. Although AR signaling was identified as therapeutic-target in PCa over five-decades ago, there remains several practical issues such as lack of antagonist-bound AR crystal structure, stabilization of the AR in the presence of agonists due to N-terminus and C-terminus interaction, unfavorable large-molecule accommodation of the ligand-binding domain (LBD), and generation of AR splice variants that lack the LBD that impede the discovery of highly potent fail-safe drugs. This review summarizes the AR-signaling pathway targeted therapeutics currently used in PCa and the approaches that could be used in future AR-targeted drug development of potent next-generation molecules. The review also outlines the discovery of molecules that bind to domains other than the LBD and those that inhibit both the full length and splice variant of ARs.
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Shizu R, Yokobori K, Perera L, Pedersen L, Negishi M. Ligand induced dissociation of the AR homodimer precedes AR monomer translocation to the nucleus. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16734. [PMID: 31723170 PMCID: PMC6853983 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53139-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) regulates male sexual development. We have now investigated AR homodimerization, hormone-dependent monomerization and nuclear translocation in PC-3 and COS-1 cells, by utilizing mutations associated with the androgen insensitivity syndrome: Pro767Ala, Phe765Leu, Met743Val and Trp742Arg. AR wild type (WT) was expressed as a homodimer in the cytoplasm, while none of these mutants formed homodimers. Unlike AR WT which responded to 1 nM dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to dissociate and translocate into the nucleus, AR Pro767Ala and Phe765Leu mutants remain as the monomer in the cytoplasm. In the crystal structure of the AR LBD homodimer, Pro767 and Phe765 reside closely on a loop that constitutes the dimer interface; their sidechains interact with the Pro767 of the other monomer and with the DHT molecule in the ligand-binding pocket. These observations place Phe765 at a position to facilitate DHT binding to Pro767 and lead to dissociation of the AR homodimer in the cytoplasm. This Pro-Phe Met relay may constitute a structural switch that mediates androgen signaling and is conserved in other steroid hormone receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Shizu
- Pharmacogenetic section, Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Kosuke Yokobori
- Pharmacogenetic section, Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Lalith Perera
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Lee Pedersen
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Masahiko Negishi
- Pharmacogenetic section, Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA.
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Abstract
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a neuromuscular disease caused by a polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the androgen receptor (AR). Despite the fact that the monogenic cause of SBMA has been known for nearly 3 decades, there is no effective treatment for this disease, underscoring the complexity of the pathogenic mechanisms that lead to a loss of motor neurons and muscle in SBMA patients. In the current review, we provide an overview of the system-wide clinical features of SBMA, summarize the structure and function of the AR, discuss both gain-of-function and loss-of-function mechanisms of toxicity caused by polyQ-expanded AR, and describe the cell and animal models utilized in the study of SBMA. Additionally, we summarize previously conducted clinical trials which, despite being based on positive results from preclinical studies, proved to be largely ineffective in the treatment of SBMA; nonetheless, these studies provide important insights as researchers develop the next generation of therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick J Arnold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, 411E Jefferson Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, USA
| | - Diane E Merry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, 411E Jefferson Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, USA.
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Elshan NGRD, Rettig MB, Jung ME. Molecules targeting the androgen receptor (AR) signaling axis beyond the AR-Ligand binding domain. Med Res Rev 2019; 39:910-960. [PMID: 30565725 PMCID: PMC6608750 DOI: 10.1002/med.21548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in men in the United States. The androgen receptor (AR) and the physiological pathways it regulates are central to the initiation and progression of PCa. As a member of the nuclear steroid receptor family, it is a transcription factor with three distinct functional domains (ligand-binding domain [LBD], DNA-binding domain [DBD], and transactivation domain [TAD]) in its structure. All clinically approved drugs for PCa ultimately target the AR-LBD. Clinically active drugs that target the DBD and TAD have not yet been developed due to multiple factors. Despite these limitations, the last several years have seen a rise in the discovery of molecules that could successfully target these domains. This review aims to present and comprehensively discuss such molecules that affect AR signaling through direct or indirect interactions with the AR-TAD or the DBD. The compounds discussed here include hairpin polyamides, niclosamide, marine sponge-derived small molecules (eg, EPI compounds), mahanine, VPC compounds, JN compounds, and bromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibitors. We highlight the significant in vitro and in vivo data found for each compound and the apparent limitations and/or potential for further development of these agents as PCa therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew B. Rettig
- . Division of Hematology/Oncology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System West LA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- . Departments of Medicine and Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Michael E. Jung
- . Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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15
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Centenera MM, Selth LA, Ebrahimie E, Butler LM, Tilley WD. New Opportunities for Targeting the Androgen Receptor in Prostate Cancer. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2018; 8:a030478. [PMID: 29530945 PMCID: PMC6280715 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a030478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent genomic analyses of metastatic prostate cancer have provided important insight into adaptive changes in androgen receptor (AR) signaling that underpin resistance to androgen deprivation therapies. Novel strategies are required to circumvent these AR-mediated resistance mechanisms and thereby improve prostate cancer survival. In this review, we present a summary of AR structure and function and discuss mechanisms of AR-mediated therapy resistance that represent important areas of focus for the development of new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret M Centenera
- Adelaide Medical School and Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia
| | - Luke A Selth
- Adelaide Medical School and Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
| | - Esmaeil Ebrahimie
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
| | - Lisa M Butler
- Adelaide Medical School and Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia
| | - Wayne D Tilley
- Adelaide Medical School and Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
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Li D, Tian G, Wang J, Zhao LY, Co O, Underill ZC, Mymryk JS, Claessens F, Dehm SM, Daaka Y, Liao D. Inhibition of androgen receptor transactivation function by adenovirus type 12 E1A undermines prostate cancer cell survival. Prostate 2018; 78:1140-1156. [PMID: 30009471 PMCID: PMC6424568 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations or truncation of the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of androgen receptor (AR) underlie treatment resistance for prostate cancer (PCa). Thus, targeting the AR N-terminal domain (NTD) could overcome such resistance. METHODS Luciferase reporter assays after transient transfection of various DNA constructs were used to assess effects of E1A proteins on AR-mediated transcription. Immunofluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation were applied to assess intracellular protein localization. Immunoprecipitation and mammalian two-hybrid assays were used to detect protein-protein interactions. qRT-PCR was employed to determine RNA levels. Western blotting was used to detect protein expression in cells. Effects of adenoviruses on prostate cancer cell survival were evaluated with CellTiter-Glo assays. RESULTS Adenovirus 12 E1A (E1A12) binds specifically to the AR. Interestingly, the full-length E1A12 (266 aa) preferentially binds to full-length AR, while the small E1A12 variant (235 aa) interacts more strongly with AR-V7. E1A12 promotes AR nuclear translocation, likely through mediating intramolecular AR NTD-LBD interactions. In the nucleus, AR and E1A12 co-expression in AR-null PCa cells results in E1A12 redistribution from nuclear foci containing CBX4 (also known as Pc2), suggesting a preferential AR-E1A12 interaction over other E1A12 interactors. E1A12 represses AR-mediated transcription in reporter gene assays and endogenous AR target genes such as ATAD2 and MYC in AR-expressing PCa cells. AR-expressing PCa cells are more sensitive to death induced by a recombinant adenovirus expressing E1A12 (Ad-E1A12) than AR-deficient PCa cells, which could be attributed to the increased viral replication promoted by androgen stimulation. Targeting the AR by E1A12 promotes apoptosis in PCa cells that express the full-length AR or C-terminally truncated AR variants. Importantly, inhibition of mTOR signaling that blocks the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins markedly augments Ad-E1A12-induced apoptosis of AR-expressing cells. Mechanistically, Ad-E1A12 infection triggers apoptotic response while activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling axis; thus, mTOR inhibition enhances apoptosis in AR-expressing PCa cells infected by Ad-E1A12. CONCLUSION Ad12 E1A inhibits AR-mediated transcription and suppresses PCa cell survival, suggesting that targeting the AR by E1A12 might have therapeutic potential for treating advanced PCa with heightened AR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Li
- Department of Urology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan, 250012, P. R. China
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UF Health Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Guimei Tian
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UF Health Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Jia Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UF Health Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610
- Affiliated Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Lisa Y. Zhao
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UF Health Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610
- Present address: Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
| | - Olivia Co
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UF Health Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Zoe C. Underill
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UF Health Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Joe S. Mymryk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the University of Western Ontario, London Regional Cancer Centre, Ontario, Canada
| | - Frank Claessens
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 PO box 901, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Scott M. Dehm
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Yehia Daaka
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UF Health Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Daiqing Liao
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UF Health Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610
- Corresponding author: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida, 1333 Center Drive, Gainesville, Florida, 32610-0235, , Phone: 352-273-8188, Fax: 352-846-1248
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17
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Ohno M, Negishi M. GR Utilizes a Co-Chaperone Cytoplasmic CAR Retention Protein to Form an N/C Interaction. NUCLEAR RECEPTOR SIGNALING 2018; 15:1550762918801072. [PMID: 30718983 PMCID: PMC6348740 DOI: 10.1177/1550762918801072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The N-terminal domain (NTD) of nuclear receptor superfamily members has been recently reported to regulate functions of the receptor through the interaction between the NTD and the C-terminal ligand binding domain (LBD), so-called an N/C interaction. Although this N/C interaction has been demonstrated in various nuclear receptors, eg, androgen receptor, this concept has not been observed in glucocorticoid receptor (GR). We hypothesized that GR requires its co-chaperone CCRP (cytoplasmic constitutive active/androstane receptor retention protein) to form a stable N/C interaction. This hypothesis was examined by co-immunoprecipitation assays using GR fragments overexpressing COS-1 cell lysate. Here, we demonstrated that GR undergoes the N/C interaction between the 26VMDFY30 motif in the NTD and the LBD. More importantly, co-chaperone CCRP is now found to induce this interaction. By the fact that a negative charge at Y30 disrupts this interaction, this residue, a potential phosphorylation site, was indicated to regulate the GR N/C interaction critically. Utilizing Y30F and Y30E mutants as N/C interacting and noninteracting forms of GR, respectively, a 2-dimensional blue native/sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was performed to examine whether or not the N/C interaction regulated formation of GR complexes. A cDNA microarray analysis was performed with COS-1 cells expressing Y30F or Y30E. We will present experimental data to demonstrate that CCRP is essential for GR to form the N/C interaction and will discuss its implications in GR functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marumi Ohno
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Masahiko Negishi
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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18
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Borjian Boroujeni P, Firouzi V, Zari Moradi S, Mokhtari P, Dehghankhalili F, Mollaahmadi F, Gourabi H, Sadighi-Gilani MA, Sabbaghian M, Mohseni-Meybodi A. Study of trinucleotide expansions and expression of androgen receptor in infertile men with abnormal spermogram referred to Royan institute. Andrologia 2018; 50:e13121. [DOI: 10.1111/and.13121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2018] [Revised: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Parnaz Borjian Boroujeni
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Vida Firouzi
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Shabnam Zari Moradi
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Pegah Mokhtari
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Faezeh Dehghankhalili
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Fahimeh Mollaahmadi
- Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Hamid Gourabi
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Sadighi-Gilani
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Marjan Sabbaghian
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Anahita Mohseni-Meybodi
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center; Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR; Tehran Iran
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Vander Ark A, Cao J, Li X. Mechanisms and Approaches for Overcoming Enzalutamide Resistance in Prostate Cancer. Front Oncol 2018; 8:180. [PMID: 29911070 PMCID: PMC5992404 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Enzalutamide, a second-generation small-molecule inhibitor of the androgen receptor (AR), has been approved for patients who failed with androgen deprivation therapy and have developed castration-resistant prostate cancer. More than 80% of these patients develop bone metastases. The binding of enzalutamide to the AR prevents the nuclear translocation of the receptor, thus inactivating androgen signaling. However, prostate cancer cells eventually develop resistance to enzalutamide treatment. Studies have found resistance both in patients and in laboratory models. The mechanisms of and approaches to overcoming such resistance are significant issues that need to be addressed. In this review, we focus on the major mechanisms of acquired enzalutamide resistance, including genetic mutations and splice variants of the AR, signaling pathways that bypass androgen signaling, intratumoral androgen biosynthesis by prostate tumor cells, lineage plasticity, and contributions from the tumor microenvironment. Approaches for overcoming these mechanisms to enzalutamide resistance along with the associated problems and solutions are discussed. Emerging questions, concerns, and new opportunities in studying enzalutamide resistance will be addressed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Vander Ark
- Program for Skeletal Disease and Tumor Microenvironment, Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Jingchen Cao
- Program for Skeletal Disease and Tumor Microenvironment, Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Xiaohong Li
- Program for Skeletal Disease and Tumor Microenvironment, Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
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20
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Pennuto M, Rinaldi C. From gene to therapy in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy: Are we there yet? Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 465:113-121. [PMID: 28688959 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal polyglutamine expansions in the androgen receptor (AR) cause a muscular condition, known as Kennedy's disease or spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). The disease is transmitted in an X-linked fashion and is clinically characterized by weakness, atrophy and fasciculations of the limb and bulbar muscles as a result of a toxic gain-of-function of the mutant protein. Notably, affected males also show signs of androgen insensitivity, such as gynaecomastia and reduced fertility. The characterization of the natural history of the disease, the increasing understanding of the mechanism of pathogenesis and the elucidation of the functions of normal and mutant AR have offered a momentum for developing a rational therapeutic strategy for this disease. In this special issue on androgens and AR functions, we will review the molecular, biochemical, and cellular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of SBMA. We will discuss recent advances on therapeutic approaches and opportunities for this yet incurable disease, ranging from androgen deprivation, to gene silencing, to an expanding repertoire of peripheral targets, including muscle. With the advancement of these strategies into the clinic, it can be reasonably anticipated that the landscape of treatment options for SBMA and other neuromuscular conditions will change rapidly in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pennuto
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy.
| | - Carlo Rinaldi
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, UK.
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21
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Wang H, Ding Z, Shi QM, Ge X, Wang HX, Li MX, Chen G, Wang Q, Ju Q, Zhang JP, Zhang MR, Xu LC. Anti-androgenic mechanisms of Bisphenol A involve androgen receptor signaling pathway. Toxicology 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2017.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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22
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Swift-Gallant A, Monks DA. Androgenic mechanisms of sexual differentiation of the nervous system and behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol 2017; 46:32-45. [PMID: 28455096 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Testicular androgens are the major endocrine factor promoting masculine phenotypes in vertebrates, but androgen signaling is complex and operates via multiple signaling pathways and sites of action. Recently, selective androgen receptor mutants have been engineered to study androgenic mechanisms of sexual differentiation of the nervous system and behavior. The focus of these studies has been to evaluate androgenic mechanisms within the nervous system by manipulating androgen receptor conditionally in neural tissues. Here we review both the effects of neural loss of AR function as well as the effects of neural overexpression of AR in relation to global AR mutants. Although some studies have conformed to our expectations, others have proved challenging to assumptions underlying the dominant hypotheses. Notably, these studies have called into question both the primacy of direct, neural mechanisms and also the linearity of the relationship between androgenic dose and sexual differentiation of brain and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Swift-Gallant
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd. N., Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - D A Monks
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada; Department of Cells and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd. N., Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
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23
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Bogner J, Zolghadr K, Hickson I, Romer T, Yurlova L. The fluorescent two-hybrid assay for live-cell profiling of androgen receptor modulators. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2017; 166:45-53. [PMID: 27174722 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) is an important target for drug therapies combating prostate cancer. However, various acquired mutations within the AR sequence often render this receptor resistant to treatment. Ligand-induced interaction between the N- and C-termini of the AR marks the initial step in the AR signaling cascade and can thus serve as an early read-out for analysis of potential antagonists of wt and mutant AR. To measure changes of the N/C interaction in the wt and mutant AR variants upon the addition of inhibitors, we applied our recently developed Fluorescent Two-Hybrid (F2H) assay. The F2H method enables real-time monitoring and quantitative analysis of the interactions between GFP- and RFP-tagged proteins in live mammalian cells, where GFP-tagged proteins are tethered to a specific nuclear location. This anchoring approach provides a local signal enrichment suitable for direct visualization of protein-protein interactions as co-localizations by conventional epifluorescence microscopy. Since the F2H assay is fully reversible, we could monitor dynamics of AR N/C interactions in living cells in real time upon agonistic, as well as antagonistic treatments. In dose-response F2H experiments, we compared the potencies of abiraterone, bicalutamide, enzalutamide, flutamide, and galeterone/TOK-001 to prevent the dihydrotestosterone-induced N/C interaction in wt AR. We further applied the newly developed F2H assay to analyze how the AR N/C interaction is affected by the clinically relevant mutations W741L, F876L, T877A and F876L/T877A. We conclude that F2H is a reliable and technically undemanding approach for straightforward screening of new AR modulators, as well as for monitoring their activity in real time in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ian Hickson
- Janssen R&D, LLC, A Division of Johnson & Johnson, Spring House, PA, United States
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24
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Epigenomic Regulation of Androgen Receptor Signaling: Potential Role in Prostate Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 9:cancers9010009. [PMID: 28275218 PMCID: PMC5295780 DOI: 10.3390/cancers9010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) signaling remains the major oncogenic pathway in prostate cancer (PCa). Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is the principle treatment for locally advanced and metastatic disease. However, a significant number of patients acquire treatment resistance leading to castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Epigenetics, the study of heritable and reversible changes in gene expression without alterations in DNA sequences, is a crucial regulatory step in AR signaling. We and others, recently described the technological advance Chem-seq, a method to identify the interaction between a drug and the genome. This has permitted better understanding of the underlying regulatory mechanisms of AR during carcinogenesis and revealed the importance of epigenetic modifiers. In screening for new epigenomic modifiying drugs, we identified SD-70, and found that this demethylase inhibitor is effective in CRPC cells in combination with current therapies. The aim of this review is to explore the role of epigenetic modifications as biomarkers for detection, prognosis, and risk evaluation of PCa. Furthermore, we also provide an update of the recent findings on the epigenetic key processes (DNA methylation, chromatin modifications and alterations in noncoding RNA profiles) involved in AR expression and their possible role as therapeutic targets.
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Ponnusamy S, Sullivan RD, Thiyagarajan T, Tillmann H, Getzenberg RH, Narayanan R. Tissue Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) Increase Pelvic Floor Muscle Mass in Ovariectomized Mice. J Cell Biochem 2016; 118:640-646. [PMID: 27681158 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a prevalent condition, is represented by an involuntary leakage of urine that results, at least in part, from weakened or damaged pelvic floor muscles and is triggered by physical stress. Current treatment options are limited with no oral therapies available. The pelvic floor is rich in androgen receptor and molecules with anabolic activity including selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) may serve as therapeutic options for individuals with SUI. In this study, two SARMs (GTx-024 and GTx-027) were evaluated in a post-menopausal animal model in order to determine their effect on pelvic floor muscles. Female C57BL/6 mice were ovariectomized and their pelvic muscles allowed to regress. The animals were then treated with vehicle or doses of GTx-024 or GTx-027. Animal total body weight, lean body mass, and pelvic floor muscle weights were measured along with the expression of genes associated with muscle catabolism. Treatment with the SARMs resulted in a restoration of the pelvic muscles to the sham-operated weight. Coordinately, the induction of genes associated with muscle catabolism was inhibited. Although a trend was observed towards an increase in total lean body mass in the SARM-treated groups, no significant differences were detected. Treatment of an ovariectomized mouse model with SARMs resulted in an increase in pelvic floor muscles, which may translate to an improvement of symptoms associated with SUI and serves as the basis for evaluating their clinical use. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 640-646, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suriyan Ponnusamy
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Ryan D Sullivan
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | | | - Heather Tillmann
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | | | - Ramesh Narayanan
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.,West Cancer Center, Memphis, Tennessee
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Hamson DK, Roes MM, Galea LAM. Sex Hormones and Cognition: Neuroendocrine Influences on Memory and Learning. Compr Physiol 2016; 6:1295-337. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c150031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Brooke GN, Powell SM, Lavery DN, Waxman J, Buluwela L, Ali S, Bevan CL. Engineered repressors are potent inhibitors of androgen receptor activity. Oncotarget 2015; 5:959-69. [PMID: 24659630 PMCID: PMC4011597 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer growth is dependent upon the Androgen Receptor (AR) pathway, hence therapies for this disease often target this signalling axis. Such therapies are successful in the majority of patients but invariably fail after a median of 2 years and tumours progress to a castrate resistant stage (CRPC). Much evidence exists to suggest that the AR remains key to CRPC growth and hence remains a valid therapeutic target. Here we describe a novel method to inhibit AR activity, consisting of an interaction motif, that binds to the AR ligand-binding domain, fused to repression domains. These ‘engineered repressors’ are potent inhibitors of AR activity and prostate cancer cell growth and importantly inhibit the AR under circumstances in which conventional therapies would be predicted to fail, such as AR mutation and altered cofactor levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg N Brooke
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, W12 0NN, UK
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28
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Androgen receptor: structure, role in prostate cancer and drug discovery. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2015; 36:3-23. [PMID: 24909511 PMCID: PMC4571323 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2014.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 604] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Androgens and androgen receptors (AR) play a pivotal role in expression of the male phenotype. Several diseases, such as androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) and prostate cancer, are associated with alterations in AR functions. Indeed, androgen blockade by drugs that prevent the production of androgens and/or block the action of the AR inhibits prostate cancer growth. However, resistance to these drugs often occurs after 2–3 years as the patients develop castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In CRPC, a functional AR remains a key regulator. Early studies focused on the functional domains of the AR and its crucial role in the pathology. The elucidation of the structures of the AR DNA binding domain (DBD) and ligand binding domain (LBD) provides a new framework for understanding the functions of this receptor and leads to the development of rational drug design for the treatment of prostate cancer. An overview of androgen receptor structure and activity, its actions in prostate cancer, and how structural information and high-throughput screening have been or can be used for drug discovery are provided herein.
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Banuelos CA, Lal A, Tien AH, Shah N, Yang YC, Mawji NR, Meimetis LG, Park J, Kunzhong J, Andersen RJ, Sadar MD. Characterization of niphatenones that inhibit androgen receptor N-terminal domain. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107991. [PMID: 25268119 PMCID: PMC4182434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen ablation therapy causes a temporary reduction in tumor burden in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Unfortunately the malignancy will return to form lethal castration-recurrent prostate cancer (CRPC). The androgen receptor (AR) remains transcriptionally active in CRPC in spite of castrate levels of androgens in the blood. AR transcriptional activity resides in its N-terminal domain (NTD). Possible mechanisms of continued AR transcriptional activity may include, at least in part, expression of constitutively active splice variants of AR that lack the C-terminal ligand-binding domain (LBD). Current therapies that target the AR LBD, would not be effective against these AR variants. Currently no drugs are clinically available that target the AR NTD which should be effective against these AR variants as well as full-length AR. Niphatenones were originally isolated and identified in active extracts from Niphates digitalis marine sponge. Here we begin to characterize the mechanism of niphatenones in blocking AR transcriptional activity. Both enantiomers had similar IC50 values of 6 µM for inhibiting the full-length AR in a functional transcriptional assay. However, (S)-niphatenone had significantly better activity against the AR NTD compared to (R)-niphatenone. Consistent with niphatenones binding to and inhibiting transactivation of AR NTD, niphatenones inhibited AR splice variant. Niphatenone did not affect the transcriptional activity of the related progesterone receptor, but slightly decreased glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity and covalently bound to GR activation function-1 (AF-1) region. Niphatenone blocked N/C interactions of AR without altering either AR protein levels or its intracellular localization in response to androgen. Alkylation with glutathione suggests that niphatenones are not a feasible scaffold for further drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen A. Banuelos
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Aaron Lal
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amy H. Tien
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Neel Shah
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yu Chi Yang
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nasrin R. Mawji
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Labros G. Meimetis
- Chemistry and Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jacob Park
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jian Kunzhong
- Chemistry and Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Raymond J. Andersen
- Chemistry and Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marianne D. Sadar
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Zup SL, Edwards NS, McCarthy MM. Sex- and age-dependent effects of androgens on glutamate-induced cell death and intracellular calcium regulation in the developing hippocampus. Neuroscience 2014; 281:77-87. [PMID: 25264034 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.09.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Revised: 08/31/2014] [Accepted: 09/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hippocampal neurons must maintain control over cytosolic calcium levels, especially during development, as excitation and calcium flux are necessary for proper growth and function. But excessive calcium can lead to excitotoxic cell death. Previous work suggests that neonatal male and female hippocampal neurons regulate cytosolic calcium differently, thereby leading to differential susceptibility to excitotoxic damage. Hippocampal neurons are also exposed to gonadal hormones during development and express high levels of androgen receptors. Androgens have both neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects in adults and developing animals. The present study sought to examine the effect of androgen on cell survival after an excitatory stimulus in the developing hippocampus, and whether androgen-mediated calcium regulation was the governing mechanism. We observed that glutamate did not induce robust or sexually dimorphic apoptosis in cultured hippocampal neurons at an early neonatal time point, but did 5days later - only in males. Further, pretreatment with the androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) protected males from apoptosis during this time, but had no effect on females. Calcium imaging of sex-specific cultures revealed that DHT decreased the peak of intracellular calcium induced by glutamate, but only in males. To determine a possible mechanism for this androgen neuroprotection and calcium regulation, we quantified three calcium regulatory proteins, plasma membrane calcium ATPase1 (PMCA1), sodium/calcium exchanger1 (NCX1), and the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2 (SERCA2). Surprisingly, there was no sex difference in the level of any of the three proteins. Treatment with DHT significantly decreased PMCA1 and NCX1, but increased SERCA2 protein levels in very young animals but not at a later timepoint. Taken together, these data suggest a complex interaction of sex, hormones, calcium regulation and developmental age; however androgens acting during the first week of life are implicated in regulation of hippocampal cell death and may be an underlying mechanism for sexually dimorphic apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Zup
- Program in Developmental and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, United States.
| | - N S Edwards
- Department of Pharmacology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - M M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
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Xue R, Zakharov MN, Xia Y, Bhasin S, Costello JC, Jasuja R. Research resource: EPSLiM: ensemble predictor for short linear motifs in nuclear hormone receptors. Mol Endocrinol 2014; 28:768-77. [PMID: 24678734 DOI: 10.1210/me.2014-1006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a superfamily of transcription factors central to regulating many biological processes, including cell growth, death, metabolism, and immune responses. NR-mediated gene expression can be modulated by coactivators and corepressors through direct physical interaction or protein complexes with functional domains in NRs. One class of these domains includes short linear motifs (SLiMs), which facilitate protein-protein interactions, phosphorylation, and ligand binding primarily in the intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) of proteins. Across all proteins, the number of known SLiMs is limited due to the difficulty in studying IDRs experimentally. Computational tools provide a systematic and data-driven approach for predicting functional motifs that can be used to prioritize experimental efforts. Accordingly, several tools have been developed based on sequence conservation or biophysical features; however, discrepancies in predictions make it difficult to determine the true candidate SLiMs. In this work, we present the ensemble predictor for short linear motifs (EPSLiM), a novel strategy to prioritize the residues that are most likely to be SLiMs in IDRs. EPSLiM applies a generalized linear model to integrate predictions from individual methodologies. We show that EPSLiM outperforms individual predictors, and we apply our method to NRs. The androgen receptor is an example with an N-terminal domain of 559 disordered amino acids that contains several validated SLiMs important for transcriptional activation. We use the androgen receptor to illustrate the predictive performance of EPSLiM and make the results of all human and mouse NRs publically available through the web service http://epslim.bwh.harvard.edu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Xue
- Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism (R.X., S.B., J.C.C., R.J.), Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; The National Library of Medicine (M.N.Z.), National Center for Bioinformation Technology, The National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; and Department of Bioengineering (Y.X.), Faculty of Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C3, Canada
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32
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Androgens and the androgen receptor (AR). Mol Oncol 2013. [DOI: 10.1017/cbo9781139046947.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Hamson DK, Jones BA, Csupity AS, Ali FM, Watson NV. Androgen insensitive male rats display increased anxiety-like behavior on the elevated plus maze. Behav Brain Res 2013; 259:158-63. [PMID: 24269497 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Revised: 11/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Male rats carrying the testicular feminization mutation (Tfm-affected males) are insensitive to androgens, resulting in a female-typical peripheral phenotype despite possession of inguinal testes that are androgen secretory. Androgen-dependent neural and behavioral processes may likewise show atypical sexual differentiation. Interestingly, these mutant rats display elevated serum corticosterone, suggesting a chronic anxiety phenotype and dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. In order to understand if elevated anxiety-like behavior is a possible mediating variable affecting the display of certain androgen-dependent behaviors, we compared the performance of Tfm-affected males to wild type males and females in the elevated plus maze (EPM). Two well-established indicators of anxiety-like behavior in the EPM were analyzed: total percentage of time spent on the open arms, and the percentage of open arm entries. We also analyzed the total number of open arm entries. Interestingly, Tfm-affected males spent less percentage of time on the open arms than both males and females, suggesting increased anxiety-like behavior. Percentage of open arm entries and the total number of arm entries was comparable between the groups, indicating that the observed decrease in the percentage of time spent on the open arms was not due to a global reduction in exploratory behavior. These data, in contrast to earlier reports, thus implicate androgen receptor-mediated functions in the expression of anxiety behaviors in male rats. Given that anxiety is widely reported as a precipitating factor in depression, studying the role of the androgen receptor in anxiety may give insights into the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dwayne K Hamson
- Hormones and Behaviour Lab, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
| | - Bryan A Jones
- Hormones and Behaviour Lab, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Canada
| | - Attila S Csupity
- Hormones and Behaviour Lab, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Canada
| | - Faezah M Ali
- Hormones and Behaviour Lab, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Canada
| | - Neil V Watson
- Hormones and Behaviour Lab, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Canada
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Hamson DK, Wainwright SR, Taylor JR, Jones BA, Watson NV, Galea LAM. Androgens increase survival of adult-born neurons in the dentate gyrus by an androgen receptor-dependent mechanism in male rats. Endocrinology 2013; 154:3294-304. [PMID: 23782943 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Gonadal steroids are potent regulators of adult neurogenesis. We previously reported that androgens, such as testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), but not estradiol, increased the survival of new neurons in the dentate gyrus of the male rat. These results suggest androgens regulate hippocampal neurogenesis via the androgen receptor (AR). To test this supposition, we examined the role of ARs in hippocampal neurogenesis using 2 different approaches. In experiment 1, we examined neurogenesis in male rats insensitive to androgens due to a naturally occurring mutation in the gene encoding the AR (termed testicular feminization mutation) compared with wild-type males. In experiment 2, we injected the AR antagonist, flutamide, into castrated male rats and compared neurogenesis levels in the dentate gyrus of DHT and oil-treated controls. In experiment 1, chronic T increased hippocampal neurogenesis in wild-type males but not in androgen-insensitive testicular feminization mutation males. In experiment 2, DHT increased hippocampal neurogenesis via cell survival, an effect that was blocked by concurrent treatment with flutamide. DHT, however, did not affect cell proliferation. Interestingly, cells expressing doublecortin, a marker of immature neurons, did not colabel with ARs in the dentate gyrus, but ARs were robustly expressed in other regions of the hippocampus. Together these studies provide complementary evidence that androgens regulate adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus via the AR but at a site other than the dentate gyrus. Understanding where in the brain androgens act to increase the survival of new neurons in the adult brain may have implications for neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- D K Hamson
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, British Columbia, Canada
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Waddell J, Bowers JM, Edwards NS, Jordan CL, McCarthy MM. Dysregulation of neonatal hippocampal cell genesis in the androgen insensitive Tfm rat. Horm Behav 2013; 64:144-52. [PMID: 23747829 PMCID: PMC3753588 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2012] [Revised: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 05/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The first two weeks of life are a critical period for hippocampal development. At this time gonadal steroid exposure organizes sex differences in hippocampal sensitivity to activational effects of steroids, hippocampal cell morphology and hippocampus dependent behaviors. Our laboratory has characterized a robust sex difference in neonatal neurogenesis in the hippocampus that is mediated by estradiol. Here, we extend our knowledge of this sex difference by comparing the male and female hippocampus to the androgen insensitive testicular feminized mutant (Tfm) rat. In the neonatal Tfm rat hippocampus, fewer newly generated cells survive compared to males or females. This deficit in cell genesis is partially recovered with the potent androgen DHT, but is more completely recovered following estradiol administration. Tfm rats do not differ from males or females in the level of endogenous estradiol in the neonatal hippocampus, suggesting other mechanisms mediate a differential sensitivity to estradiol in male, female and Tfm hippocampus. We also demonstrate disrupted performance on a hippocampal-dependent contextual fear discrimination task. Tfm rats generalize fear across contexts, and do not exhibit significant loss of fear during extinction exposure. These results extend prior reports of exaggerated response to stress in Tfm rats, and following gonadectomy in normal male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaylyn Waddell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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36
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Abankwa D, Millard SM, Martel N, Choong CS, Yang M, Butler LM, Buchanan G, Tilley WD, Ueki N, Hayman MJ, Leong GM. Ski-interacting protein (SKIP) interacts with androgen receptor in the nucleus and modulates androgen-dependent transcription. BMC BIOCHEMISTRY 2013; 14:10. [PMID: 23566155 PMCID: PMC3668167 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2091-14-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 03/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background The androgen receptor (AR) is a member of the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily of ligand-inducible DNA transcription factors, and is the major mediator of male sexual development, prostate growth and the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. Cell and gene specific regulation by the AR is determined by availability of and interaction with sets of key accessory cofactors. Ski-interacting protein (SKIP; SNW1, NCOA62) is a cofactor shown to interact with several NRs and a diverse range of other transcription factors. Interestingly, SKIP as part of the spliceosome is thought to link mRNA splicing with transcription. SKIP has not been previously shown to interact with the AR. Results The aim of this study was to investigate whether SKIP interacts with the AR and modulates AR-dependent transcription. Here, we show by co-immunoprecipitation experiments that SKIP is in a complex with the AR. Moreover, SKIP increased 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induced N-terminal/C-terminal AR interaction from 12-fold to almost 300-fold in a two-hybrid assay, and enhanced AR ligand-independent AF-1 transactivation. SKIP augmented ligand- and AR-dependent transactivation in PC3 prostate cancer cells. Live-cell imaging revealed a fast (half-time=129 s) translocation of AR from the cytoplasm to the nucleus upon DHT-stimulation. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments suggest a direct AR-SKIP interaction in the nucleus upon translocation. Conclusions Our results suggest that SKIP interacts with AR in the nucleus and enhances AR-dependent transactivation and N/C-interaction supporting a role for SKIP as an AR co-factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Abankwa
- University of Queensland, Obesity Research Centre, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, St,Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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Fiandalo MV, Wu W, Mohler JL. The role of intracrine androgen metabolism, androgen receptor and apoptosis in the survival and recurrence of prostate cancer during androgen deprivation therapy. Curr Drug Targets 2013; 14:420-40. [PMID: 23565755 PMCID: PMC3991464 DOI: 10.2174/1389450111314040004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Revised: 02/21/2013] [Accepted: 02/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death in American men. Almost all men present with advanced CaP and some men who fail potentially curative therapy are treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). ADT is not curative and CaP recurs as the lethal phenotype. The goal of this review is to apply our current understanding of CaP and castration-recurrent CaP (CR-CaP) to earlier studies that characterized ADT and the molecular mechanisms that facilitate the transition from androgen-stimulated CaP to CR-CaP. Reexamination of earlier studies also may provide a better understanding of how more newly recognized mechanisms, such as intracrine metabolism, may be involved with the early events that allow CaP survival after initiation of ADT and subsequent development of CR-CaP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael V. Fiandalo
- Department of Urology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Wenjie Wu
- Department of Urology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - James L. Mohler
- Department of Urology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
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Targeted disruption of the p160 coactivator interface of androgen receptor (AR) selectively inhibits AR activity in both androgen-dependent and castration-resistant AR-expressing prostate cancer cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2012; 45:763-72. [PMID: 23270728 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2012.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2012] [Revised: 11/24/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The evidence that androgen blockade-resistant prostate cancer, termed castration resistant, remains androgen receptor (AR) dependent is compelling. AR is re-activated through multiple mechanisms including expression of constitutively active splice variants that lack hormone binding domains (HBDs). This highlights the need to develop therapies that target regions other than the HBD. Because the p160 coactivators interact most strongly with the amino-terminus of AR, we examined the consequences of disrupting this interaction. We identified two overlapping SRC-1 peptides that interact with AR, but not with progesterone receptor. These peptides reduce AR and AR variant AR-V7 dependent induction of an AR responsive reporter. Using mammalian two hybrid assays, we found that the peptides interrupt the AR/SRC-1, AR/SRC-2 and AR N/C interactions, but not SRC-1/CARM-1 interactions. Consistent with the SRC-1 dependence of induced, but not repressed genes, in LNCaP cells, the peptides inhibited hormone dependent induction of endogenous target genes including PSA and TMPRSS2, but did not block AR dependent repression of UGT2B17 or inhibit vitamin D receptor activity. Simultaneous detection of SRC-1 peptides and PSA by double immunofluorescence in transfected LNCaP cells clearly demonstrated a strong reduction in PSA levels in cells expressing the peptides. The peptides also inhibited the AR dependent expression of PSA in castration resistant C4-2 cells. Moreover they inhibited androgen dependent proliferation of LNCaP cells and proliferation of C4-2 cells in androgen depleted medium without affecting AR negative PC-3 cells. Thus, the p160 coactivator binding site is a novel potential therapeutic target to inhibit AR activity.
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Zhang X, Sui Z. Deciphering the selective androgen receptor modulators paradigm. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2012; 8:191-218. [DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2013.741582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xuqing Zhang
- Janssen Research and Development, LLC, Welsh and McKean Roads, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Zhihua Sui
- Janssen Research and Development, LLC, Welsh and McKean Roads, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
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Song CH, Lee HJ, Park E, Lee K. The chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor II negatively regulates the transactivation of androgen receptor in prostate cancer cells. PLoS One 2012; 7:e49026. [PMID: 23145053 PMCID: PMC3492188 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2012] [Accepted: 10/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) is involved in the development and progression of prostate cancers. However, the mechanisms by which this occurs remain incompletely understood. In previous reports, chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor II (COUP-TF II) has been suggested to play a role in the development of cancers. In the present study, we explored a putative role of COUP-TF II in prostate cancers by investigating its effect on cell proliferation and a cross-talk between COUP-TF II and AR. Overexpression of COUP-TF II results in the inhibition of androgen-dependent proliferation of prostate cancer cells. Further studies show that COUP-TF II functions as a corepressor of AR. It represses AR transactivation on target promoters containing the androgen response element (ARE) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, COUP-TF II interacts physically with AR in vitro and in vivo. It binds to both the DNA binding domain (DBD) and the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of AR and disrupts the N/C terminal interaction of AR. Furthermore, COUP-TF II competes with coactivators such as ARA70, SRC-1, and GRIP1 to modulate AR transactivation as well as inhibiting the recruitment of AR to its ARE-containing target promoter. Taken together, our findings suggest that COUP-TF II is a novel corepressor of AR, and provide an insight into the role of COUP-TF II in prostate cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Hee Song
- Hormone Research Center, School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Joo Lee
- Hormone Research Center, School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunsook Park
- Hormone Research Center, School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Keesook Lee
- Hormone Research Center, School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail:
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41
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Mitani T, Harada N, Nakano Y, Inui H, Yamaji R. Coordinated action of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and β-catenin in androgen receptor signaling. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:33594-606. [PMID: 22865883 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.388298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) acts as a ligand-dependent transcriptional factor and plays a critical role in the development and progression of androgen-dependent and castration-resistant prostate cancer. Castration results in hypoxia in prostate cancer cells, and hypoxia enhances transcriptional activity of AR through hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α at low serum androgen levels mimicking the castration-resistant stage. However, HIF-1α is necessary but not sufficient for hypoxia-activated AR transactivation, and the molecular mechanism that regulates AR function in castration-resistant prostate cancer remains unclear. Here, we report that β-catenin is required for HIF-1α-mediated AR transactivation in hypoxic LNCaP prostate cancer cells under low androgen conditions. HIF-1α and β-catenin coordinately enhanced AR N-terminal and C-terminal interaction. β-Catenin accumulated in the nucleus in the HIF-1α protein-positive cells of LNCaP xenografts in castrated mice. In LNCaP cells, when HIF-1α was knocked down or was exogenously expressed in the cytoplasm, hypoxia-induced nuclear localization of β-catenin was inhibited. β-Catenin formed a complex with HIF-1α both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm. Hypoxia increased the amount of a complex composed of AR and β-catenin, and knockdown of HIF-1α attenuated the recruitment of AR and β-catenin to the androgen response elements (AREs) of androgen-responsive genes. Furthermore, together with β-catenin, HIF-1α bound to the AREs in the presence of androgen. These results demonstrate that (i) HIF-1α and β-catenin coordinately enhance AR transactivation by accelerating N-terminal and C-terminal interaction; (ii) HIF-1α promotes nuclear translocation of β-catenin in hypoxia; and (iii) AR, HIF-1α, and β-catenin form a ternary complex on AREs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takakazu Mitani
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka, Japan
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42
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Song CH, Yang SH, Park E, Cho SH, Gong EY, Khadka DB, Cho WJ, Lee K. Structure-based virtual screening and identification of a novel androgen receptor antagonist. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:30769-80. [PMID: 22798067 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.379107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Hormonal therapies, mainly combinations of anti-androgens and androgen deprivation, have been the mainstay treatment for advanced prostate cancer because the androgen-androgen receptor (AR) system plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of prostate cancers. However, the emergence of androgen resistance, largely due to inefficient anti-hormone action, limits the therapeutic usefulness of these therapies. Here, we report that 6-(3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinolin-2-yl)-N-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)nicotinamide (DIMN) acts as a novel anti-androgenic compound that may be effective in the treatment of both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancers. Through AR structure-based virtual screening using the FlexX docking model, fifty-four compounds were selected and further screened for AR antagonism via cell-based tests. One compound, DIMN, showed an antagonistic effect specific to AR with comparable potency to that of the classical AR antagonists, hydroxyflutamide and bicalutamide. Consistent with their anti-androgenic activity, DIMN inhibited the growth of androgen-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, the compound also suppressed the growth of androgen-independent C4-2 and CWR22rv prostate cancer cells, which express a functional AR, but did not suppress the growth of the AR-negative prostate cancer cells PPC-1, DU145, and R3327-AT3.1. Taken together, the results suggest that the synthetic compound DIMN is a novel anti-androgen and strong candidate for useful therapeutic agent against early stage to advanced prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Hee Song
- Hormone Research Center, School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea
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43
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The stress response mediator ATF3 represses androgen signaling by binding the androgen receptor. Mol Cell Biol 2012; 32:3190-202. [PMID: 22665497 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00159-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is a common mediator of cellular stress response signaling and is often aberrantly expressed in prostate cancer. We report here that ATF3 can directly bind the androgen receptor (AR) and consequently repress AR-mediated gene expression. The ATF3-AR interaction requires the leucine zipper domain of ATF3 that independently binds the DNA-binding and ligand-binding domains of AR, and the interaction prevents AR from binding to cis-acting elements required for expression of androgen-dependent genes while inhibiting the AR N- and C-terminal interaction. The functional consequences of the loss of ATF3 expression include increased transcription of androgen-dependent genes in prostate cancer cells that correlates with increased ability to grow in low-androgen-containing medium and increased proliferative activity of the prostate epithelium in ATF3 knockout mice that is associated with prostatic hyperplasia. Our results thus demonstrate that ATF3 is a novel repressor of androgen signaling that can inhibit AR functions, allowing prostate cells to restore homeostasis and maintain integrity in the face of a broad spectrum of intrinsic and environmental insults.
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44
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Gioeli D, Paschal BM. Post-translational modification of the androgen receptor. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 352:70-8. [PMID: 21820033 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2011] [Revised: 06/30/2011] [Accepted: 07/01/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of the androgen receptor (AR) by its cognate ligand is well established, but how post-translational modification modulates AR activity is only emerging. The AR is subject to modification by phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, SUMOylation, and ubiquitination. As several of the enzymes that modify the AR are altered in prostate cancer, defining the context and physiological effects of these modifications could provide insight into mechanisms that underpin human disease. Here, we review how post-translational modification contributes to AR function as a transcription factor with particular emphasis on phosphorylation and dephosphorylation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gioeli
- Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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45
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Kumar R, McEwan IJ. Allosteric modulators of steroid hormone receptors: structural dynamics and gene regulation. Endocr Rev 2012; 33:271-99. [PMID: 22433123 PMCID: PMC3596562 DOI: 10.1210/er.2011-1033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones are synthesized from cholesterol primarily in the adrenal gland and the gonads and play vital roles in normal physiology, the control of development, differentiation, metabolic homeostasis, and reproduction. The actions of these small lipophilic molecules are mediated by intracellular receptor proteins. It is just over 25 yr since the first cDNA for steroid receptors were cloned, a development that led to the birth of a superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors: the nuclear receptors. The receptor proteins share structurally and functionally related ligand binding and DNA-binding domains but possess distinct N-terminal domains and hinge regions that are intrinsically disordered. Since the original cloning experiments, considerable progress has been made in our understanding of the structure, mechanisms of action, and biology of this important class of ligand-activated transcription factors. In recent years, there has been interest in the structural plasticity and function of the N-terminal domain of steroid hormone receptors and in the allosteric regulation of protein folding and function in response to hormone, DNA response element architecture, and coregulatory protein binding partners. The N-terminal domain can exist as an ensemble of conformers, having more or less structure, which prime this region of the receptor to rapidly respond to changes in the intracellular environment through hormone binding and posttranslation modifications. In this review, we address the question of receptor structure and function dynamics with particular emphasis on the structurally flexible N-terminal domain, intra- and interdomain communications, and the allosteric regulation of receptor action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Kumar
- Department of Basic Sciences, The Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18510, USA
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46
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Lagarde WH, Blackwelder AJ, Minges JT, Hnat AT, French FS, Wilson EM. Androgen receptor exon 1 mutation causes androgen insensitivity by creating phosphorylation site and inhibiting melanoma antigen-A11 activation of NH2- and carboxyl-terminal interaction-dependent transactivation. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:10905-15. [PMID: 22334658 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.336081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Naturally occurring germ line mutations in the X-linked human androgen receptor (AR) gene cause incomplete masculinization of the external genitalia by disrupting AR function in males with androgen insensitivity syndrome. Almost all AR missense mutations that cause androgen insensitivity syndrome are located in the highly structured DNA and ligand binding domains. In this report we investigate the functional defect associated with an AR exon 1 missense mutation, R405S, that caused partial androgen insensitivity. The 46,XX heterozygous maternal carrier had a wild-type Arg-405 CGC allele but transmitted an AGC mutant allele coding for Ser-405. At birth, the 46,XY proband had a bifid scrotum, hypospadias, and micropenis consistent with clinical stage 3 partial androgen insensitivity. Androgen-dependent transcriptional activity of AR-R405S expressed in CV1 cells was less than wild-type AR and refractory in androgen-dependent AR NH(2)- and carboxyl interaction transcription assays that depend on the coregulator effects of melanoma antigen-A11. This mutation created a Ser-405 phosphorylation site evident by the gel migration of an AR-R405S NH(2)-terminal fragment as a double band that converted to the wild-type single band after treatment with λ-phosphatase. Detrimental effects of the R405S mutation were related to the proximity of the AR WXXLF motif (433)WHTLF(437) required for melanoma antigen-A11 and p300 to stimulate transcriptional activity associated with the AR NH(2)- and carboxyl-terminal interaction. We conclude that the coregulator effects of melanoma antigen-A11 on the AR NH(2)- and carboxyl-terminal interaction amplify the androgen-dependent transcriptional response to p300 required for normal human male sex development in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H Lagarde
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7500, USA
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47
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Askew EB, Minges JT, Hnat AT, Wilson EM. Structural features discriminate androgen receptor N/C terminal and coactivator interactions. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 348:403-10. [PMID: 21664945 PMCID: PMC3199032 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2010] [Revised: 03/25/2011] [Accepted: 03/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Human androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional activity involves interdomain and coactivator interactions with the agonist-bound AR ligand binding domain (LBD). Structural determinants of the AR NH(2)- and carboxyl-terminal interaction between the AR NH(2)-terminal FXXLF motif and activation function 2 (AF2) in the LBD were shown previously by crystallography. In this report, we provide evidence for a region in AR LBD helix 12 outside the AF2 binding cleft that facilitates interactions with the FXXLF and LXXLL motifs. Mutagenesis of glutamine 902 to alanine in AR LBD helix 12 (Q902A) disrupted AR FXXLF motif binding to AF2, but enhanced coactivator LXXLL motif binding. Functional compensation for defective FXXLF motif binding by AR-Q902A was suggested by the slower dissociation rate of bound androgen. Functional importance of glutamine 902 was indicated by the charged residue germline mutation Q902R that caused partial androgen insensitivity, and a similar somatic mutation Q902K reported in prostate cancer, both of which increased the androgen dissociation rate and decreased AR transcriptional activity. High affinity equilibrium androgen binding was retained by alanine substitution mutations at Tyr-739 in AR LBD helix 5 or Lys-905 in helix 12 structurally adjacent to AF2, whereas transcriptional activity decreased and the androgen dissociation increased. Deleterious effects of these loss of function mutations were rescued by the helix stabilizing AR prostate cancer somatic mutation H874Y. Sequence NH(2)-terminal to the AR FXXLF motif contributed to the AR NH(2)- and carboxyl-terminal interaction based on greater AR-2-30 FXXLF motif peptide binding to the agonist-bound AR LBD than a shorter AR-20-30 FXXLF motif peptide. We conclude that helix 12 residues outside the AF2 binding cleft modulate AR transcriptional activity by providing flexibility to accommodate FXXLF or LXXLL motif binding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John T. Minges
- Curriculum in Toxicology, Laboratories for Reproductive Biology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Departments of Pediatrics, and Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7500 USA
| | - Andrew T. Hnat
- Curriculum in Toxicology, Laboratories for Reproductive Biology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Departments of Pediatrics, and Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7500 USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Wilson
- Curriculum in Toxicology, Laboratories for Reproductive Biology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Departments of Pediatrics, and Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7500 USA
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48
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Titus MA, Zeithaml B, Kantor B, Li X, Haack K, Moore DT, Wilson EM, Mohler JL, Kafri T. Dominant-negative androgen receptor inhibition of intracrine androgen-dependent growth of castration-recurrent prostate cancer. PLoS One 2012; 7:e30192. [PMID: 22272301 PMCID: PMC3260230 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Accepted: 12/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Prostate cancer (CaP) is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Androgen deprivation therapy is initially effective in CaP treatment, but CaP recurs despite castrate levels of circulating androgen. Continued expression of the androgen receptor (AR) and its ligands has been linked to castration-recurrent CaP growth. Principal Finding In this report, the ligand-dependent dominant-negative ARΔ142–337 (ARΔTR) was expressed in castration-recurrent CWR-R1 cell and tumor models to elucidate the role of AR signaling. Expression of ARΔTR decreased CWR-R1 tumor growth in the presence and absence of exogenous testosterone (T) and improved survival in the presence of exogenous T. There was evidence for negative selection of ARΔTR transgene in T-treated mice. Mass spectrometry revealed castration-recurrent CaP dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels sufficient to activate AR and ARΔTR. In the absence of exogenous testosterone, CWR-R1-ARΔTR and control cells exhibited altered androgen profiles that implicated epithelial CaP cells as a source of intratumoral AR ligands. Conclusion The study provides in vivo evidence that activation of AR signaling by intratumoral AR ligands is required for castration-recurrent CaP growth and that epithelial CaP cells produce sufficient active androgens for CaP recurrence during androgen deprivation therapy. Targeting intracrine T and DHT synthesis should provide a mechanism to inhibit AR and growth of castration-recurrent CaP.
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MESH Headings
- Androgens/metabolism
- Androgens/pharmacology
- Animals
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- Dihydrotestosterone/metabolism
- Dihydrotestosterone/pharmacology
- Genes, Dominant
- Humans
- Immunoblotting
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Nude
- Mice, Transgenic
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
- Neoplasms, Experimental/genetics
- Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/genetics
- Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/pathology
- Orchiectomy
- Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics
- Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism
- Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology
- Receptors, Androgen/genetics
- Receptors, Androgen/metabolism
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Testosterone/metabolism
- Testosterone/pharmacology
- Transcriptional Activation/drug effects
- Transplantation, Heterologous
- Tumor Burden/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Titus
- Department of Urology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Brian Zeithaml
- UNC Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Boris Kantor
- UNC Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Xiangping Li
- UNC Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Karin Haack
- UNC Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Dominic T. Moore
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth M. Wilson
- Laboratories for Reproductive Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - James L. Mohler
- Department of Urology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine and Biotechnology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Tal Kafri
- UNC Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Parodi S, Pennuto M. Neurotoxic effects of androgens in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. Front Neuroendocrinol 2011; 32:416-25. [PMID: 21745497 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2011.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2011] [Revised: 05/23/2011] [Accepted: 06/16/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Expansion of polyglutamine tracts in nine different genes causes selective neuronal degeneration through unknown mechanisms. Expansion of polyglutamine in the androgen receptor is responsible for spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), a neuromuscular disorder characterized by the loss of lower motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord. A unique feature of SBMA in the family of polyglutamine diseases is sex specificity. SBMA fully manifests only in males. SBMA is a disease triggered by the binding of polyglutamine androgen receptor to its natural ligand testosterone. Recent evidence has emerged showing that the expanded polyglutamine tract itself is not the only determinant of disease pathogenesis. There is evidence that both the native structure and function of the disease protein strongly influence the pathogenicity of mutant protein. Here, we review recent progress in the understanding of disease pathogenesis and advancements towards development of potential therapeutic strategies for SBMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Parodi
- Laboratorio di Genetica Molecolare, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova 16148, Italy
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50
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Brooke GN, Bevan CL. The role of androgen receptor mutations in prostate cancer progression. Curr Genomics 2011; 10:18-25. [PMID: 19721807 PMCID: PMC2699836 DOI: 10.2174/138920209787581307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2008] [Revised: 10/11/2008] [Accepted: 10/20/2008] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate tumour growth is almost always dependent upon the androgen receptor pathway and hence therapies aimed at blocking this signalling axis are useful tools in the management of this disease. Unfortunately such therapies invariably fail; and the tumour progresses to an “androgen-independent” stage. In such cases androgen receptor expression is almost always maintained and much evidence exists to suggest that it may still be driving growth. One mechanism by which the receptor is thought to remain active is mutation. This review summarises the present data on androgen receptor mutations in prostate cancer, and how such substitutions offer a growth advantage by affecting cofactor interactions or by reducing ligand specificity. Such alterations appear to have a subsequent effect upon gene expression suggesting that tumours may “behave” differently dependent upon the ligand promoting growth and if a mutation is present.
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Affiliation(s)
- G N Brooke
- Androgen Signalling Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
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