Refereed journal article or data article (A1)
Inhibition of Stat5a/b Enhances Proteasomal Degradation of Androgen Receptor Liganded by Antiandrogens in Prostate Cancer
List of Authors: Hoang DT, Gu L, Liao ZY, Shen F, Talati PG, Koptyra M, Tan SH, Ellsworth E, Gupta S, Montie H, Dagvadorj A, Savolainen S, Leiby B, Mirtti T, Merry DE, Nevalainen MT
Publisher: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH
Publication year: 2015
Journal: Molecular Cancer Therapeutics
Journal name in source: MOLECULAR CANCER THERAPEUTICS
Journal acronym: MOL CANCER THER
Volume number: 14
Issue number: 3
Start page: 713
End page: 726
Number of pages: 14
ISSN: 1535-7163
eISSN: 1538-8514
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-14-0819
Abstract
Although poorly understood, androgen receptor (AR) signaling is sustained despite treatment of prostate cancer with antiandrogens and potentially underlies development of incurable castrate-resistant prostate cancer. However, therapies targeting the AR signaling axis eventually fail when prostate cancer progresses to the castrate-resistant stage. Stat5a/b, a candidate therapeutic target protein in prostate cancer, synergizes with AR to reciprocally enhance the signaling of both proteins. In this work, we demonstrate that Stat5a/b sequesters antiandrogen-liganded (MDV3100, bicalutamide, flutamide) AR in prostate cancer cells and protects it against proteasomal degradation in prostate cancer. Active Stat5a/b increased nuclear levels of both unliganded and antiandrogen-liganded AR, as demonstrated in prostate cancer cell lines, xenograft tumors, and clinical patient-derived prostate cancer samples. Physical interaction between Stat5a/b and AR in prostate cancer cells was mediated by the DNA-binding domain of Stat5a/b and the N-terminal domain of AR. Moreover, active Stat5a/b increased AR occupancy of the prostate-specific antigen promoter and AR-regulated gene expression in prostate cancer cells. Mechanistically, both Stat5a/b genetic knockdown and antiandrogen treatment induced proteasomal degradation of AR in prostate cancer cells, with combined inhibition of Stat5a/b and AR leading to maximal loss of AR protein and prostate cancer cell viability. Our results indicate that therapeutic targeting of AR in prostate cancer using antiandrogens may be substantially improved by targeting of Stat5a/b. (C) 2014 AACR.
Although poorly understood, androgen receptor (AR) signaling is sustained despite treatment of prostate cancer with antiandrogens and potentially underlies development of incurable castrate-resistant prostate cancer. However, therapies targeting the AR signaling axis eventually fail when prostate cancer progresses to the castrate-resistant stage. Stat5a/b, a candidate therapeutic target protein in prostate cancer, synergizes with AR to reciprocally enhance the signaling of both proteins. In this work, we demonstrate that Stat5a/b sequesters antiandrogen-liganded (MDV3100, bicalutamide, flutamide) AR in prostate cancer cells and protects it against proteasomal degradation in prostate cancer. Active Stat5a/b increased nuclear levels of both unliganded and antiandrogen-liganded AR, as demonstrated in prostate cancer cell lines, xenograft tumors, and clinical patient-derived prostate cancer samples. Physical interaction between Stat5a/b and AR in prostate cancer cells was mediated by the DNA-binding domain of Stat5a/b and the N-terminal domain of AR. Moreover, active Stat5a/b increased AR occupancy of the prostate-specific antigen promoter and AR-regulated gene expression in prostate cancer cells. Mechanistically, both Stat5a/b genetic knockdown and antiandrogen treatment induced proteasomal degradation of AR in prostate cancer cells, with combined inhibition of Stat5a/b and AR leading to maximal loss of AR protein and prostate cancer cell viability. Our results indicate that therapeutic targeting of AR in prostate cancer using antiandrogens may be substantially improved by targeting of Stat5a/b. (C) 2014 AACR.