1
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Fischetti I, Botti L, Sulsenti R, Cancila V, Enriquez C, Ferri R, Bregni M, Crivelli F, Tripodo C, Colombo MP, Jachetti E. Combined therapy targeting AR and EZH2 curbs castration-resistant prostate cancer enhancing anti-tumor T-cell response. Epigenomics 2024. [PMID: 38530086 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim: Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) eventually becomes resistant to androgen receptor pathway inhibitors like enzalutamide. Immunotherapy also fails in CRPC. We propose a new approach to simultaneously revert enzalutamide resistance and rewire anti-tumor immunity. Methods: We investigated in vitro and in subcutaneous and spontaneous mouse models the effects of combining enzalutamide and GSK-126, a drug inhibiting the epigenetic modulator EZH2. Results: Enzalutamide and GSK-126 synergized to reduce CRPC growth, also restraining tumor neuroendocrine differentiation. The anti-tumor activity was lost in immunodeficient mice. Indeed, the combination treatment awoke cytotoxic activity and IFN-γ production of tumor-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes. Conclusion: These results promote the combination of enzalutamide and GSK-126 in CRPC, also offering new avenues for immunotherapy in prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Fischetti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Botti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Sulsenti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Cancila
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Claudia Enriquez
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Renata Ferri
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Claudio Tripodo
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Mario P Colombo
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Jachetti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
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2
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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: 1.0] [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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3
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Ji Y, Zhang R, Han X, Zhou J. Targeting the N-terminal domain of the androgen receptor: The effective approach in therapy of CRPC. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 247:115077. [PMID: 36587421 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) is dominant in prostate cancer (PCa) pathology. Current therapeutic agents for advanced PCa include androgen synthesis inhibitors and AR antagonists that bind to the hormone binding pocket (HBP) at the ligand binding domain (LBD). However, AR amplification, AR splice variants (AR-Vs) expression, and intra-tumoral de novo synthesis of androgens result in the reactivation of AR signalling. The AR N-terminal domain (NTD) plays an essential role in AR transcriptional activity. The AR inhibitor targeting NTD could potentially block the activation of both full-length AR and AR-Vs, thus overcoming major resistance mechanisms to current treatments. This review discusses the progress of research in various NTD inhibitors and provides new insight into the development of AR-NTD inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Ji
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, PR China; Drug Development and Innovation Center, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, PR China
| | - Rongyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, PR China; Drug Development and Innovation Center, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Han
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, PR China; Drug Development and Innovation Center, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, PR China
| | - Jinming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, PR China; Drug Development and Innovation Center, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, PR China.
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4
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Fang Q, Cole RN, Wang Z. Mechanisms and targeting of proteosome-dependent androgen receptor degradation in prostate cancer. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL UROLOGY 2022; 10:366-376. [PMID: 36636693 PMCID: PMC9831915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) remains to be a key target for the treatment of prostate cancer, including the majority of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). AR is stabilized in CRPC and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays a major role in AR degradation. Targeting AR for degradation provides a potential approach to overcome the resistance of CRPC to current AR antagonists, including the next generation AR signaling inhibitors. Different types of AR degraders have been developed, including the proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), selective AR degraders (SARDs), and novel AR degraders, with several AR PROTACs currently in clinical trials. The present mini-review discusses the regulation of AR degradation by the UPS, the potential role of a novel nuclear degradation signal in AR, and different types of AR degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghua Fang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ryan N Cole
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zhou Wang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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5
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Huang J, Lin B, Li B. Anti-Androgen Receptor Therapies in Prostate Cancer: A Brief Update and Perspective. Front Oncol 2022; 12:865350. [PMID: 35372068 PMCID: PMC8965587 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.865350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is a major health issue in western countries and is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Prostate cancer depends on the androgen receptor (AR), a transcriptional factor critical for prostate cancer growth and progression. Castration by surgery or medical treatment reduces androgen levels, resulting in prostatic atrophy and prostate cancer regression. Thus, metastatic prostate cancers are initially managed with androgen deprivation therapy. Unfortunately, prostate cancers rapidly relapse after castration therapy and progress to a disease stage called castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Currently, clinical treatment for CRPCs is focused on suppressing AR activity with antagonists like Enzalutamide or by reducing androgen production with Abiraterone. In clinical practice, these treatments fail to yield a curative benefit in CRPC patients in part due to AR gene mutations or splicing variations, resulting in AR reactivation. It is conceivable that eliminating the AR protein in prostate cancer cells is a promising solution to provide a potential curative outcome. Multiple strategies have emerged, and several potent agents that reduce AR protein levels were reported to eliminate xenograft tumor growth in preclinical models via distinct mechanisms, including proteasome-mediated degradation, heat-shock protein inhibition, AR splicing suppression, blockage of AR nuclear localization, AR N-terminal suppression. A few small chemical compounds are undergoing clinical trials combined with existing AR antagonists. AR protein elimination by enhanced protein or mRNA degradation is a realistic solution for avoiding AR reactivation during androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Huang
- Pathological Diagnosis and Research Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Biyun Lin
- Pathological Diagnosis and Research Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Benyi Li
- Department of Urology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
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6
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Cole RN, Chen W, Pascal LE, Nelson JB, Wipf P, Wang Z. (+)-JJ-74-138 is a novel non-competitive androgen receptor antagonist. Mol Cancer Ther 2022; 21:483-492. [DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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7
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Lv S, Song Q, Chen G, Cheng E, Chen W, Cole R, Wu Z, Pascal LE, Wang K, Wipf P, Nelson JB, Wei Q, Huang W, Wang Z. Regulation and targeting of androgen receptor nuclear localization in castration-resistant prostate cancer. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:141335. [PMID: 33332287 DOI: 10.1172/jci141335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear localization of the androgen receptor (AR) is necessary for its activation as a transcription factor. Defining the mechanisms regulating AR nuclear localization in androgen-sensitive cells and how these mechanisms are dysregulated in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells is fundamentally important and clinically relevant. According to the classical model of AR intracellular trafficking, androgens induce AR nuclear import and androgen withdrawal causes AR nuclear export. The present study has led to an updated model that AR could be imported in the absence of androgens, ubiquitinated, and degraded in the nucleus. Androgen withdrawal caused nuclear AR degradation, but not export. In comparison with their parental androgen-sensitive LNCaP prostate cancer cells, castration-resistant C4-2 cells exhibited reduced nuclear AR polyubiquitination and increased nuclear AR level. We previously identified 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazole (CPPI) in a high-throughput screen for its inhibition of androgen-independent AR nuclear localization in CRPC cells. The current study shows that CPPI is a competitive AR antagonist capable of enhancing AR interaction with its E3 ligase MDM2 and degradation of AR in the nuclei of CRPC cells. Also, CPPI blocked androgen-independent AR nuclear import. Overall, these findings suggest the feasibility of targeting androgen-independent AR nuclear import and stabilization, two necessary steps leading to AR nuclear localization and activation in CRPC cells, with small molecule inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shidong Lv
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, and.,National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Qiong Song
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Key Laboratory of Longevity and Ageing Related Disease of Chinese Ministry of Education, Center for Translational Medicine and School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Guang Chen
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Urology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Erdong Cheng
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ryan Cole
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zeyu Wu
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laura E Pascal
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shanxi, China
| | - Peter Wipf
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joel B Nelson
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Qiang Wei
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, and
| | - Wenhua Huang
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhou Wang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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8
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Masoodi KZ, Wani W, Dar ZA, Mansoor S, Anam-ul-Haq S, Farooq I, Hussain K, Wani SA, Nehvi FA, Ahmed N. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) inhibits cellular proliferation, wound healing and decreases expression of prostate specific antigen in prostate cancer cells in vitro. J Funct Foods 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2020.104102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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9
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Lai GR, Lee YF, Yan SJ, Ting HJ. Active vitamin D induces gene-specific hypomethylation in prostate cancer cells developing vitamin D resistance. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2020; 318:C836-C847. [PMID: 32159363 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00522.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a leading cause of cancer death in men. Despite the antiproliferative effects of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] on PCa, accumulating evidence indicates that 1,25(OH)2D3 promotes cancer progression by increasing genome plasticity. Our investigation of epigenetic changes associated with vitamin D insensitivity found that 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment reduced the expression levels and activities of DNA methyltransferases 1 and 3B (DNMT1 and DNMT3B, respectively). In silico analysis and reporter assay confirmed that 1,25(OH)2D3 downregulated transcriptional activation of the DNMT3B promoter and upregulated microRNAs targeting the 3'-untranslated regions of DNMT3B. We then profiled DNA methylation in the vitamin D-resistant PC-3 cells and a resistant PCa cell model generated by long-term 1,25(OH)2D3 exposure. Several candidate genes were found to be hypomethylated and overexpressed in vitamin D-resistant PCa cells compared with vitamin D-sensitive cells. Most of the identified genes were associated with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling activation, which is known to promote cancer progression. Among them, we found that inhibition of ribosomal protein S6 kinase A1 (RPS6KA1) promoted vitamin D sensitivity in PC-3 cells. Furthermore, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) prostate cancer data set demonstrated that midline 1 (MID1) expression is positively correlated with tumor stage. Overall, our study reveals an inhibitory mechanism of 1,25(OH)2D3 on DNMT3B, which may contribute to vitamin D resistance in PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Rong Lai
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yi-Fen Lee
- Department of Urology, Pathology, and Wilmot Cancer Cancer, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
| | - Shian-Jang Yan
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Huei-Ju Ting
- Department of Biological Sciences and Technology, National University of Tainan, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
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10
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Wu Z, Wang K, Yang Z, Pascal LE, Nelson JB, Takubo K, Wipf P, Wang Z. A novel androgen receptor antagonist JJ-450 inhibits enzalutamide-resistant mutant AR F876L nuclear import and function. Prostate 2020; 80:319-328. [PMID: 31868960 PMCID: PMC7421602 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Castration-resistant prostate cancer can develop resistance to enzalutamide because of androgen receptor (AR) point mutations, AR overexpression, constitutively active AR splice variants, and/or elevated intratumoral androgen synthesis. The point mutation ARF876L was reported to be stimulated, instead of inhibited, by enzalutamide, thus contributing to enzalutamide resistance. We have recently developed JJ-450 as a novel AR antagonist with the potential to treat enzalutamide-resistant castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). METHODS We employed several assays to determine the impact of JJ-450 and enzalutamide on prostate cancer cell lines expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-ARF876L . These assays include a prostate-specific antigen enhancer/promoter-based luciferase assay to determine AR transcriptional activity, a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, and Western blot analysis to detect expression of AR-target genes at the messenger RNA and protein level, fluorescence microscopy to show AR subcellular localization, and a 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine assay to measure prostate cancer cell proliferation. RESULTS As expected, enzalutamide inhibited wild-type (WT) AR but not ARF876L transcriptional activity in the luciferase assay. In contrast, JJ-450 inhibited both WT-AR and ARF876L transcriptional activity to a similar extent. Also, enzalutamide retarded androgen-induced nuclear import of GFP-AR, but not GFP-ARF876L , whereas JJ-450 retarded nuclear import of both GFP-AR and GFP-ARF876L . To further evaluate JJ-450 inhibition of ARF876L , we stably transfected C4-2 cells separately with GFP-AR or GFP-ARF876L . Enzalutamide inhibited endogenous AR-target gene expression in C4-2-GFP-ARWT , but not in the C4-2-GFP-ARF876L subline, whereas JJ-450 inhibited AR-target gene expression in both C4-2 sublines. More importantly, enzalutamide inhibited proliferation of C4-2-GFP-ARWT , but not of the C4-2-GFP-ARF876L subline, whereas JJ-450 inhibited proliferation of both C4-2 sublines. CONCLUSION JJ-450 inhibits enzalutamide-resistant ARF876L mutant nuclear translocation and function. Our findings suggest that JJ-450 and its analogs should be further developed to provide a potential new approach for the treatment of enzalutamide-resistant CRPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Wu
- Department of Urology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Zhenyu Yang
- Department of Urology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Laura E Pascal
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Joel B Nelson
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Keita Takubo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Peter Wipf
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Zhou Wang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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11
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Yang Z, Wang D, Johnson JK, Pascal LE, Takubo K, Avula R, Chakka AB, Zhou J, Chen W, Zhong M, Song Q, Ding H, Wu Z, Chandran UR, Maskrey TS, Nelson JB, Wipf P, Wang Z. A Novel Small Molecule Targets Androgen Receptor and Its Splice Variants in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 19:75-88. [PMID: 31554654 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Reactivation of androgen receptor (AR) appears to be the major mechanism driving the resistance of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) to second-generation antiandrogens and involves AR overexpression, AR mutation, and/or expression of AR splice variants lacking ligand-binding domain. There is a need for novel small molecules targeting AR, particularly those also targeting AR splice variants such as ARv7. A high-throughput/high-content screen was previously reported that led to the discovery of a novel lead compound, 2-(((3,5-dimethylisoxazol-4-yl)methyl)thio)-1-(4-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazin-1-yl)ethan-1-one (IMTPPE), capable of inhibiting nuclear AR level and activity in CRPC cells, including those resistant to enzalutamide. A novel analogue of IMTPPE, JJ-450, has been investigated with evidence for its direct and specific inhibition of AR transcriptional activity via a pulldown assay and RNA-sequencing analysis, PSA-based luciferase, qPCR, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, and xenograft tumor model 22Rv1. JJ-450 blocks AR recruitment to androgen-responsive elements and suppresses AR target gene expression. JJ-450 also inhibits ARv7 transcriptional activity and its target gene expression. Importantly, JJ-450 suppresses the growth of CRPC tumor xenografts, including ARv7-expressing 22Rv1. Collectively, these findings suggest JJ-450 represents a new class of AR antagonists with therapeutic potential for CRPC, including those resistant to enzalutamide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Yang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China.,Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - James K Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Laura E Pascal
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Keita Takubo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Raghunandan Avula
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Anish Bhaswanth Chakka
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jianhua Zhou
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Mingming Zhong
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Qiong Song
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-Related Diseases, Guangxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Hui Ding
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Zeyu Wu
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Uma R Chandran
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Taber S Maskrey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Joel B Nelson
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Peter Wipf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. .,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Zhou Wang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. .,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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12
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Fancher AT, Hua Y, Strock CJ, Johnston PA. Assays to Interrogate the Ability of Compounds to Inhibit the AF-2 or AF-1 Transactivation Domains of the Androgen Receptor. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2019; 17:364-386. [PMID: 31502857 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2019.940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the United States. Twenty percent of patients receiving the standard of care androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) eventually progress to metastatic and incurable castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Current FDA-approved drugs for CRPC target androgen receptor (AR) binding or androgen production, but only provide a 2- to 5-month survival benefit due to the emergence of resistance. Overexpression of AR coactivators and the emergence of AR splice variants, both promote continued transcriptional activation under androgen-depleted conditions and represent drug resistance mechanisms that contribute to CRPC progression. The AR contains two transactivation domains, activation function 2 (AF-2) and activation function 1 (AF-1), which serve as binding surfaces for coactivators involved in the transcriptional activation of AR target genes. Full-length AR contains both AF-2 and AF-1 surfaces, whereas AR splice variants only have an AF-1 surface. We have recently prosecuted a high-content screening campaign to identify hit compounds that can inhibit or disrupt the protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between AR and transcriptional intermediary factor 2 (TIF2), one of the coactivators implicated in CRPC disease progression. Since an ideal inhibitor/disruptor of AR-coactivator PPIs would target both the AF-2 and AF-1 surfaces, we describe here the development and validation of five AF-2- and three AF-1-focused assays to interrogate and prioritize hits that disrupt both transactivation surfaces. The assays were validated using a test set of seven known AR modulator compounds, including three AR antagonists and one androgen synthesis inhibitor that are FDA-approved ADTs, two investigational molecules that target the N-terminal domain of AR, and an inhibitor of the Hsp90 (heat shock protein) molecular chaperone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley T Fancher
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yun Hua
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Paul A Johnston
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Head and Neck Cancer, and Skin Cancer Specialized Programs of Research Excellence, University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Lakshmana G, Baniahmad A. Interference with the androgen receptor protein stability in therapy-resistant prostate cancer. Int J Cancer 2018; 144:1775-1779. [PMID: 30125354 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.31818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer (PCa). Most PCa cases develop eventually from an androgen-dependent stage to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) with AR-signaling still being active. Thus, inhibition of AR remains a well-established promising drug target in CRPC. However, despite the improvements of current treatment for CRPC by targeting the AR, the evolution of adaptive AR-signaling leads to therapy-resistant CRPC. Treatment failure is based mostly on the inability to keep AR under long-term restraint due to adaptive responses of AR-signaling. One underlying mechanism appears to be the increased AR protein stability. Therefore, the regulation of AR protein stability and its degradation is another interesting path that could enhance our knowledge of carcinogenesis and tumor evolution possibly leading to novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we discuss various molecular mechanisms and factors that stabilize AR protein levels directly or indirectly. We summarize novel approaches to interfere with AR stability including targeting the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), heat shock proteins, and co-chaperones as well as E3-ligases using small chimeric molecules. These novel approaches in combination with antiandrogen treatment inhibit PCa growth through the regulation of AR protein levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aria Baniahmad
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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Fancher AT, Hua Y, Camarco DP, Close DA, Strock CJ, Johnston PA. High-Content Screening Campaign to Identify Compounds That Inhibit or Disrupt Androgen Receptor-Transcriptional Intermediary Factor 2 Protein-Protein Interactions for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2018; 16:297-319. [PMID: 30109944 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2018.858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Twenty percent of prostate cancer (PCa) patients develop a noncurable drug-resistant form of the disease termed castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Overexpression of Androgen Receptor (AR) coactivators such as transcriptional intermediary factor 2 (TIF2) is associated with poor CRPC patient outcomes. We describe the implementation of the AR-TIF2 protein-protein interaction biosensor (PPIB) assay in a high-content screening (HCS) campaign of 143,535 compounds. The assay performed robustly and reproducibly and enabled us to identify compounds that inhibited dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced AR-TIF2 protein-protein interaction (PPI) formation or disrupted preexisting AR-TIF2 PPIs. We used multiparameter HCS data z-scores to identify and deprioritize cytotoxic or autofluorescent outliers and confirmed the resulting qualified actives in triplicate. None of the confirmed AR-TIF2 PPIB inhibitors/disruptors exhibited activity in a p53-hDM2 PPIB counter screen, indicating that they were unlikely to be either nonselective PPI inhibitors or to interfere with the biosensor assay format. However, eight confirmed AR-TIF2 PPIB actives also inhibited the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) nuclear translocation counter screen by >50%. These compounds were deprioritized because they either lacked AR specificity/selectivity, or they inhibited a shared component of the AR and GR signaling pathways. Twenty-nine confirmed AR-TIF2 PPIB actives also inhibited the AR nuclear localization counter screen, suggesting that they might indirectly inhibit the AR-TIF2 PPIB assay rather than directly blocking/disrupting PPIs. A total of 62.2% of the confirmed actives inhibited the DHT-induced AR-TIF2 PPI formation in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50s < 40 μM, and 59.4% also disrupted preexisting AR-TIF2 PPI complexes. Overall, the hit rate for the AR-TIF2 PPIB HCS campaign was 0.12%, and most hits inhibited AR-TIF2 PPI formation and disrupted preexisting AR-TIF2 complexes with similar AR-red fluorescent protein distribution phenotypes. Further secondary and tertiary hit characterization assays are underway to select AR-TIF2 PPI inhibitor/disruptor hits suitable for medicinal chemistry lead optimization and development into novel PCa/CRPC therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley T Fancher
- 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yun Hua
- 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel P Camarco
- 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David A Close
- 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Paul A Johnston
- 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,3 University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Dontsu YS, Pashkovskii FS, Rubinov DB, Lakhvich FA. Synthesis of 2-[3-Aryl-3-(5-phenylisoxazol-3-yl)propyl] Derivatives of 5,5-Dimethylcyclohexane- and Cyclopenthane-1,3-diones Proceeding from 2-(4-Nitro-3-arylbutyl) Precursors. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s1070428018080195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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In Silico Identification of Piperazine Linked Thiohydantoin Derivatives as Novel Androgen Antagonist in Prostate Cancer Treatment. Int J Pept Res Ther 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-018-9734-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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