RESUMEN
Therapies that abrogate persistent androgen receptor (AR) signaling in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remain an unmet clinical need. The N-terminal domain of the AR that drives transcriptional activity in CRPC remains a challenging therapeutic target. Herein we demonstrate that BCL-2-associated athanogene-1 (BAG-1) mRNA is highly expressed and associates with signaling pathways, including AR signaling, that are implicated in the development and progression of CRPC. In addition, interrogation of geometric and physiochemical properties of the BAG domain of BAG-1 isoforms identifies it to be a tractable but challenging drug target. Furthermore, through BAG-1 isoform mouse knockout studies, we confirm that BAG-1 isoforms regulate hormone physiology and that therapies targeting the BAG domain will be associated with limited "on-target" toxicity. Importantly, the postulated inhibitor of BAG-1 isoforms, Thio-2, suppressed AR signaling and other important pathways implicated in the development and progression of CRPC to reduce the growth of treatment-resistant prostate cancer cell lines and patient-derived models. However, the mechanism by which Thio-2 elicits the observed phenotype needs further elucidation as the genomic abrogation of BAG-1 isoforms was unable to recapitulate the Thio-2-mediated phenotype. Overall, these data support the interrogation of related compounds with improved drug-like properties as a novel therapeutic approach in CRPC, and further highlight the clinical potential of treatments that block persistent AR signaling which are currently undergoing clinical evaluation in CRPC.
Asunto(s)
Progresión de la Enfermedad , Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración , Transducción de Señal , Masculino , Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración/metabolismo , Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración/genética , Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración/patología , Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración/tratamiento farmacológico , Humanos , Animales , Ratones , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Receptores Androgénicos/metabolismo , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proteínas de Unión al ADN/metabolismo , Proteínas de Unión al ADN/genética , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Proliferación Celular , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de Xenoinjerto , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
SUMMARY: We are building the world's first Virtual Child-a computer model of normal and cancerous human development at the level of each individual cell. The Virtual Child will "develop cancer" that we will subject to unlimited virtual clinical trials that pinpoint, predict, and prioritize potential new treatments, bringing forward the day when no child dies of cancer, giving each one the opportunity to lead a full and healthy life.