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Androgen Receptor and PI3K Pathway Activity in Ovarian Cancer
Addie Hill1, Mihaela Cristea1, Miaoling He2
1Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte California.
Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutic Oncology
|December 20, 2021
Summary
Androgen receptor (AR) activity does not drive ovarian cancer growth, and its expression doesn't predict patient survival. Metformin showed inhibitory effects on cell growth, suggesting a potential therapeutic avenue.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- The androgen receptor (AR) and PI3K pathways are implicated in various cancers.
- Their specific roles and correlations with growth and survival in ovarian cancer remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate AR and PI3K pathway activity in ovarian cancer cell lines and tissues.
- To determine the correlation between these pathways and ovarian cancer growth and progression-free survival (PFS).
Main Methods:
- AR expression and activity were measured using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RT-qPCR in six ovarian cancer cell lines and 51 patient tissues.
- Phospho-mTOR and AKT expression were assessed by IHC.
- Cell growth was evaluated with AR-modulating drugs and metformin.
Main Results:
- Ovarian cancer cell lines exhibited robust AR expression and activity but were not androgen-dependent for growth.
- Metformin inhibited cell growth in five out of six cell lines.
- Patient tissues showed significant variability in AR, phospho-mTOR, and AKT expression, with no correlation to PFS.
Conclusions:
- AR expression and activity do not predict androgen dependence or correlate with PFS in ovarian cancer.
- AR status may not be a reliable biomarker for selecting patients for AR-targeted therapies in ovarian cancer.
- Metformin demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent in ovarian cancer, warranting further investigation.
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