Partial androgen insensitivity caused by an androgen receptor mutation at amino acid 907 (Gly-->Arg) that results in decreased ligand binding affinity and reduced androgen receptor messenger ribonucleic acid levels

Prostate cancer xenografts and hormone induced prostate carcinogenesis

Despite the advancement of transgenic and gene knockout animal models in the prostate cancer research, there is still a need for utilizing xenograft models. Xenografts can be grown in multiple sites/organs within immunocompromised animals such as mice and rats. Although prostate xenografts have been derived from many species, human cells and tissues are the most commonly used due to their potential clinical significance. Xenograft models that progress from one state or stage to another are commonly used to address important scientific questions including malignant transformation, metastatic spread, and castration resistance. Utilization of xenografts are commonly being used to assess the biology and genetics of prostate cancer, as well as, for therapeutic benefit. In addition to models for the study of prostate cancer, xenografts are also utilized as a tool in precision medicine where patient derived xenografts (PDX) can be grown in multiple animals and assessed for therapeutic efficacy. The popularity of such xenograft models and PDXs have led to availability of these resources through public and commercial institutions. In this review, we describe both traditional and emerging models of prostate cancer and their potential uses. Further development of current models and introduction of new models will likely provide new insights and better understanding of prostatic carcinogenesis and progression.

A novel missense mutation in the amino-terminal domain of the human androgen receptor gene in a family with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome causes reduced efficiency of protein translation

The role of the androgen receptor (AR) in male sexual differentiation is revealed in part by the analysis of naturally occurring mutations in families with androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS). We have investigated a family with partial AIS affecting three generations and have identified a G to A substitution in the AR gene at the fourth position 3' from the A of the ATG initiation codon changing the second amino acid residue from glutamic acid to lysine (EK2). Transient expression of the mutant EK2-pCMVhAR expression vector in COS cells revealed decreased translation with a 20-50% reduction in mutant protein relative to wild type AR by immunoblot analysis. The rate of dissociation of [3H]methyltrienolone from the EK2 mutant (half-time [t1/2] = 1.7 +/- 0.08 SE h) was increased compared with wild type AR (t1/2 = 2.4 +/- 0.11 h). Cotransfection studies using an androgen responsive luciferase reporter vector demonstrated a 50% reduction in transcriptional activation by EK2. These functional alterations are consistent with the partial AIS phenotype in affected males, corroborate the AR amino-terminal domain effect on kinetics of androgen binding, and provide physiological evidence for earlier translation experiments identifying the nucleotide sequence for optimal translation initiation.