Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 8, 2025
A New Technique for Treating Low-risk Prostate Cancer—Super Active Surveillance
Published on: November 7, 2025
Targeting the BAF complex in advanced prostate cancer
Andrew Hartley1, Hing Y Leung1,2, Imran Ahmad1,2
1Urology Research Group, CRUK Beatson Institute , Glasgow, UK.
Introduction:
The BRG1/BRM associated factors (BAF) complex is a chromatin remodeling SWI/SNF which is mutated in 20% of cancers. This complex has many interchangeable subunits which may have oncogenic or tumor suppressor activity in a context-dependent manner. The BAF complex is mutated in 35-50% of metastatic prostate cancer (PC); however, its role in advanced disease is unclear. This review attempts to consolidate current knowledge of the BAF complex in PC and explore potential therapeutic approaches.
Areas Covered:
This review covers the known roles of some BAF subunits, their alterations, and the models which best explain their mechanisms in driving PC. Following this, the authors provide their expert perspective on how this complex could be targeted in the future with a personalized medicine approach.
Expert Opinion:
Personalized medicine would allow for patient stratification to exploit synthetic lethal strategies in targeting a mutated BAF complex as shown experimentally in other cancers. BAF dependency can also be targeted in patients stratified for other molecular markers such as BRG1 targeting in phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) deficient PC.
Insights
The BRG1/BRM associated factors (BAF) complex, mutated in metastatic prostate cancer (PC), has unclear roles. This review consolidates BAF complex knowledge in PC and explores personalized therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Genetics
Background:
- The BRG1/BRM associated factors (BAF) complex, a SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler, is frequently mutated in various cancers, including 35-50% of metastatic prostate cancer (PC).
- The BAF complex comprises interchangeable subunits, some exhibiting context-dependent oncogenic or tumor suppressor activities, leading to an unclear role in advanced PC.
- Understanding the specific BAF subunit alterations and their functional consequences is crucial for deciphering their role in prostate cancer progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To consolidate current knowledge regarding the BAF complex's role in prostate cancer.
- To explore potential therapeutic strategies targeting the BAF complex in PC.
- To provide an expert perspective on personalized medicine approaches for BAF-mutated prostate cancer.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on BAF complex subunits, their alterations, and mechanisms in prostate cancer.
- Analysis of experimental models elucidating BAF complex function in PC.
- Synthesis of expert opinion on future therapeutic targeting strategies.
Main Results:
- The review details the known functions of specific BAF subunits and their alterations in driving PC.
- It highlights the importance of context-dependent subunit activity in cancer development.
- Experimental evidence suggests BAF dependency can be exploited therapeutically.
Conclusions:
- Targeting the mutated BAF complex offers a promising avenue for prostate cancer treatment.
- Personalized medicine approaches, including patient stratification, are essential for effective BAF-targeted therapies.
- Synthetic lethal strategies and targeting BAF dependency in conjunction with other molecular markers (e.g., PTEN deficiency) show potential for BAF-mutated PC.
