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A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
Inhibition of Androgen Receptor Exposes Replication Stress Vulnerability in Prostate Cancer
Abstract:
Standard initial systemic treatment for patients with metastatic prostate cancer includes agents that target androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Despite an initial positive response to these AR pathway inhibitors (ARPIs), acquired resistance remains a significant challenge. We show that treatment of AR-positive prostate cancer cells with the frontline ARPI enzalutamide induces DNA replication stress. Such stress is exacerbated by suppression of translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), leading to aberrant accumulation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gaps and persistent DNA damage biomarkers. We further demonstrate that the TLS inhibitor, JH-RE-06, markedly sensitizes AR-positive prostate cancer cells, but not AR-negative benign cells, to enzalutamide in vitro. Combination therapy with enzalutamide and JH-RE-06 significantly suppresses cancer growth in a syngeneic murine tumor model over vehicle control or individual treatment groups. These findings suggest that AR inhibition broadly triggers DNA replication stress in hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, thereby exposing a unique vulnerability that can be exploited by a TLS-disrupting adjuvant for targeted therapy.
Insights
Androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) for metastatic prostate cancer cause DNA replication stress. Combining enzalutamide with a translesion DNA synthesis inhibitor, JH-RE-06, effectively suppresses tumor growth by exploiting this vulnerability.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- Metastatic prostate cancer treatment commonly involves androgen receptor (AR) signaling inhibitors.
- Acquired resistance to AR pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) is a major clinical challenge.
- Standard ARPIs like enzalutamide are effective initially but resistance develops.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance to ARPIs in prostate cancer.
- To explore the potential of targeting DNA replication stress and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) in combination therapy.
- To evaluate the efficacy of combining enzalutamide with a TLS inhibitor.
Main Methods:
- Treatment of AR-positive prostate cancer cells with enzalutamide to induce DNA replication stress.
- Assessment of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gaps and DNA damage biomarkers.
- In vitro testing of the TLS inhibitor JH-RE-06 in combination with enzalutamide.
- Evaluation of combination therapy efficacy in a syngeneic murine tumor model.
Main Results:
- Enzalutamide treatment induces DNA replication stress in AR-positive prostate cancer cells.
- Suppression of translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) exacerbates this stress, leading to DNA damage.
- The TLS inhibitor JH-RE-06 sensitizes AR-positive prostate cancer cells to enzalutamide in vitro.
- Combination therapy significantly suppressed tumor growth in a preclinical mouse model.
Conclusions:
- Androgen receptor inhibition triggers DNA replication stress in hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.
- Targeting translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) represents a viable adjuvant strategy for ARPI therapy.
- Combination of enzalutamide with a TLS inhibitor offers a promising therapeutic approach for metastatic prostate cancer.
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