Increased androgen receptor transcription: a cause of castration-resistant prostate cancer and a possible therapeutic

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
07:25

A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer

Published on: March 6, 2018

Masaki Shiota1, Akira Yokomizo, Seiji Naito

  • 1Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology
|April 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) often involves androgen receptor (AR) overexpression. This review explores how transcription factors regulate AR gene expression, offering potential therapeutic targets for CRPC treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) lacks effective therapies.
  • Augmented androgen receptor (AR) signaling, often via AR overexpression, is implicated in CRPC development and prostate carcinogenesis.
  • While gene amplification causes AR overexpression in 10-20% of CRPCs, other mechanisms like transcriptional regulation are key in the remaining cases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review molecules controlling AR gene expression in prostate cancer.
  • To emphasize the role of transcription factors in the transcriptional control of AR.
  • To explore therapeutic strategies targeting AR expression.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on AR gene expression.
  • Analysis of transcription factors regulating AR transcription.
  • Discussion of therapeutic potential targeting AR expression.

Main Results:

  • AR overexpression occurs at both protein and mRNA levels in CRPC.
  • Multiple transcription factors have been identified that regulate AR transcription.
  • Transcriptional regulation is a significant mechanism driving AR overexpression in CRPC.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding AR gene expression control is crucial for CRPC treatment.
  • Transcription factors represent key regulators of AR expression in prostate cancer.
  • Targeting AR expression pathways holds therapeutic promise for CRPC.

More Related Videos

Sequencing Small Non-coding RNA from Formalin-fixed Tissues and Serum-derived Exosomes from Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer Patients12:13

Sequencing Small Non-coding RNA from Formalin-fixed Tissues and Serum-derived Exosomes from Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer Patients

Published on: November 19, 2019

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration08:49

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Published on: May 11, 2016

Related Concept Videos

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Disorders of the Male Reproductive System01:20

Disorders of the Male Reproductive System

Men's health issues are increasingly recognized as significant, with several conditions posing common threats. Among these, testicular cancer is especially prevalent in younger men, particularly those aged 20 to 35 years. The disease often manifests as a painless mass in the testicles, sometimes accompanied by a sensation of heaviness or a dull ache.
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra. Symptoms...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...