Androgen Receptor Pathway Activity Research Articles

Reciprocal regulation between RACGAP1 and AR contributes to endocrine therapy resistance in prostate cancer

BackgroundEndocrine resistance driven by sustained activation of androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway in advanced prostate cancer (PCa) is fatal. Characterization of mechanisms underlying aberrant AR pathway activation to search for potential therapeutic strategy is particularly important. Rac GTPase-activating protein 1 (RACGAP1) is one of the specific GTPase-activating proteins. As a novel tumor proto-oncogene, overexpression of RACGAP1 was related to the occurrence of various tumors.MethodsBioinformatics methods were used to analyze the relationship of expression level between RACGAP1 and AR as well as AR pathway activation. qRT-PCR and western blotting assays were performed to assess the expression of AR/AR-V7 and RACGAP1 in PCa cells. Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence experiments were conducted to detect the interaction and co-localization between RACGAP1 and AR/AR-V7. Gain- and loss-of-function analyses were conducted to investigate the biological roles of RACGAP1 in PCa cells, using MTS and colony formation assays. In vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of RACGAP1 inhibition on the tumor growth.ResultsRACGAP1 was a gene activated by AR, which was markedly upregulated in PCa patients with CRPC and enzalutamide resistance. AR transcriptionally activated RACGAP1 expression by binding to its promoter region. Reciprocally, nuclear RACGAP1 bound to the N-terminal domain (NTD) of both AR and AR-V7, blocking their interaction with the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2. Consequently, this prevented the degradation of AR/AR-V7 in a ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent pathway. Notably, the positive feedback loop between RACGAP1 and AR/AR-V7 contributed to endocrine therapy resistance of CRPC. Combination of enzalutamide and in vivo cholesterol-conjugated RIG-I siRNA drugs targeting RACGAP1 induced potent inhibition of xenograft tumor growth of PCa.ConclusionIn summary, our results reveal that reciprocal regulation between RACGAP1 and AR/AR-V7 contributes to the endocrine resistance in PCa. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of combined RACGAP1 inhibition and enzalutamide in treatment of advanced PCa.

Abstract PO2-15-05: Mesenchymal-like immune-activated: the 4th robust triple-negative breast cancer molecular subtype

Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 15-20% of primary BC. This heterogeneous disease is the most aggressive BC subtype. TNBC is characterized by young age at onset, high-grade tumors, high risk of early recurrence and poor prognosis. Until recently, TNBC patients were considered as one group and all patients were treated with conventional chemotherapy. With the emergence of new therapies targeting distinct biological pathways, personalized medicine is now accessible by defining finer TNBC subtypes, e.g. molecular subtypes, and identifying their specific targetable pathways. Several studies based on transcriptomics have identified three to six TNBC molecular subtypes. Today, there is a clear consensus on three TNBC robust subtypes: luminal androgen receptor (LAR), basal-like immune-activated (BLIA) and basal-like immune-suppressed (BLIS). The debate about the robustness of other subtypes is still open, notably mesenchymal-like (M) and mesenchymal stem-like (MSL or MES). The goal of this study was to establish a robust molecular classification of TNBC that allow to determine the best treatment options. To optimize this process, we harvested as much transcriptomic data as possible. Available clinicopathological data linked to these data were also imported. To our knowledge, this is the largest study aimed at subtyping TNBC; it exploits a total of 1942 TNBC patient data collected from 19 datasets: 1243 samples from microarray technology (14 datasets) and 699 from RNAseq technology (five datasets including a new one from our institution [GSE225002]). We performed independent unsupervised analyses on these two large cohorts with consensus k-means clustering including selection of optimal number of clusters and optimal number of variables. Both consensus clustering analyses separated TNBC microarray and RNAseq TNBC cohorts into four optimal clusters. These clusters were then characterized using clinicopathological features, gene ontology enrichment analyses (GOEA), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), 70 gene expression signatures (GES) and expression of 47 immune checkpoint genes. We concluded that TNBC are composed of four robust subtypes: LAR, mesenchymal-like immune-activated (MLIA), BLIA and BLIS. Importantly, we propose that MLIA acronym should replace M or MSL, because it highlights the two main biological characteristics of this subtype, i.e. mesenchymal-like features and a high IR comparable to that of BLIA. Furthermore, we showed that each subtype shares common biological characteristics with another one: LAR and MLIA (androgen receptor pathway activation); MLIA and BLIA (immune activation, notably high levels of immune checkpoints); BLIA and BLIS (basal-like features); BLIS and LAR (immune suppression). As regards microarray cohort, LAR included 19.23% (n = 239) of TNBC, MLIA 17.38% (n = 216), BLIA 32.50% (n = 404) and BLIS 30.89% (n = 384). Concerning RNAseq cohort, LAR included 19.60% (n = 137) of TNBC, MLIA 17.31% (n = 121), BLIA 28.47% (n = 199) and BLIS 34.62% (n = 242). Distributions of patients among the four clusters in the two cohorts were similar (p = 0.3583). Distributions were also similar between studies for microarray cohort (p = 0.2479) and RNAseq cohort (p = 0.1775). Pooled data (n = 1942 patients) gave the following distribution: 19.36% for LAR; 17.35% for MLIA; 31.06% for BLIA; 32.23% for BLIS, confirming that TNBC are largely but not exclusively basal-like (63.29%). In brief, according to the TNBC subtype molecular characterisation, anti-androgen therapy could be prescribed for LAR, immune checkpoint inhibitors for MLIA and BLIA, alone or in combination, and TAM-focused and antineurogenic therapies for BLIS. As an extension of this work, TNBC transcriptomic data associated with their clinicopathological features and TNBC subtype annotations were included in bc-GenExMiner v5.0 web tool (http://bcgenex.ico.unicancer.fr). Citation Format: Mario Campone, Pascal Jézéquel, Fadoua Ben Azzouz, Wilfried Gouraud, Agnes Bassevile, Bertrand Michel, Hamza Lasla, Jean Sebastien FRENEL. Mesenchymal-like immune-activated: the 4th robust triple-negative breast cancer molecular subtype [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-15-05.

Recent Advances and Future Directions in the Management of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer using Androgen Receptor Signaling Inhibitors and Poly-adipose Polymerase Inhibitors: a Literature Review

Prostate cancer is still the most common cancer in men and the second leading cancer-related cause of death in men worldwide. There are several types of prostate cancer. One of which is the metastatic progression of castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). According to current studies, the mechanism of resistance can be categorized into classical androgen receptor (AR) pathway overexpression, abnormal AR pathway activation, and non-AR pathway. These mechanisms develop overtime to further induce treatment resistance in mCRPC. Development of novel therapeutic treatments is necessary to tackle this issue. Recent studies have been conducted on the combination therapy of androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARPi) and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) in treating mCRPC shows a nuanced perspective regarding its efficacy compared to monotherapy. Studies shows the combination therapy has significantly prolong radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) compared to monotherapy in certain genetic groups. Further research is necessary to fully understand their role in the broader mCRPC treatment landscape.

Increased PI3K pathway activity is associated with recurrent breast cancer in patients with low and intermediate 21-gene recurrence score

AimsWe investigated key signalling pathways’ activity and mutational status of early-stage breast carcinomas with low and intermediate 21-gene recurrence score (RS) to identify molecular features that may predict recurrence.MethodsThis is...

Phase 1/2 trial of oral EPI-7386 (masofaniten) in combination with enzalutamide (Enz) compared to Enz alone in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): Phase 1 (P1) results and phase 2 (P2) design.

141 Background: EPI-7386 (masofaniten) is a next-generation aniten that inhibits androgen receptor (AR) activity by binding the N-terminal domain and blocking transcription, irrespective of ligand-binding domain resistance mechanisms. Preclinically, the combination of masofaniten with Enz results in a deeper blockade of the AR pathway and greater antitumor activity than either agent alone. Methods: This is a Phase 1/2 multicenter clinical trial (NCT05075577) enrolling patients (pts) with mCRPC on androgen deprivation therapy and naïve to second-generation antiandrogens (one line of prior chemotherapy in the metastatic hormone-sensitive setting allowed). P1 examines escalating doses of masofaniten + Enz at 120 or 160 mg QD. Primary and secondary endpoints of P1 evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of masofaniten + Enz when co-administered to establish the recommended P2 combination doses (RP2CDs). P2 is designed as a two arm, 2:1 randomized, open-label trial evaluating the antitumor activity of masofaniten in combination with Enz versus Enz alone; approximately 120 pts will be randomized with masofaniten 600 mg BID + Enz 160 mg QD (n=80) vs single agent Enz at 160 mg QD (n = 40). Results: P1 completed enrollment with 18 pts in 4 cohorts with 16 pts evaluable for efficacy as per protocol. The combination regimen was well tolerated with a safety profile consistent with Enz monotherapy. One grade 3 rash was observed in cohort 4 evaluating masofaniten 600 mg BID + Enz 160 mg QD. PK results demonstrated Enz exposure was not impacted by concomitant administration of masofaniten, allowing testing of the full dose of Enz (160 mg). By contrast, masofaniten exposure was consistently reduced by concomitant administration of Enz (CYP3A4 inducer that metabolizes masofaniten) but remained within the clinically relevant range with the highest exposures and Cmin observed using masofaniten BID dosing. Although efficacy data are still maturing, to date, response rates were PSA50 88% (14/16 pts), PSA90 69% (11/16 pts) and PSA <0.2 ng/mL 56% (9/16 pts) in evaluable pts, regardless of their previous chemotherapy status. Conclusions: The RP2CD for P2 was established at masofaniten 600 mg BID + Enz 160 mg QD. Updated results, including long term follow-up of the dose escalation patients, and P2 study design, will be presented. Clinical trial information: NCT05075577 .

Comparative transcriptomic analysis of DNA-damage response and androgen receptor pathway activity between biopsy and radical prostatectomy specimens before and after pre-operative real-time MRI-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy.

375 Background: Pre-Prostatectomy MRI-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer Trial (PREPARE SBRT; NCT03663218) is an ongoing clinical trial testing the safety of preoperative MRI-guided SBRT for men with clinically localized high-risk prostate cancer. We sought to compare transcriptomic profiles of biopsy (Bx) specimens to acutely irradiated radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens. Methods: Biopsy and post-irradiated RP specimens from 10 subjects were examined. The median interval between the end of RT and the date of RP was 5 days. Transcriptomic profiles were generated using Decipher GRID (Veracyte, Inc). Differences in transcriptional signatures were assessed between Bx samples taken before irradiation and RP samples post-irradiation using a paired T-Test. A control cohort of transcriptomic profiles of 803 untreated Bx samples and matching RP samples from the same patients were used to account for effects in tissue preservation from the procedure different of Bx vs RP. Linear regression model with the interaction effect of cohort (SBRT vs control) by procedure (Bx vs RP) to select signatures impacted by radiation treatment. Results: Transcriptomic signatures associated with Androgen Receptor (AR) activity were significantly downregulated (p=0.002) in irradiated RP specimens compared with pre-treatment biopsies. Analysis of DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways demonstrated that nucleotide excision repair (NER) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) signatures were increased (p=0.002 and p=0.02, respectively) after pre-operative RT whereas homologous recombination (p=0.06) and mismatch repair (p=0.08) were not significantly different between pre-treatment and irradiated tissues. Several metabolic-associated pathways were impacted by pre-operative RT including increased glycogen metabolism (p=0.008) and a NADH-NADPH conversion (p=0.001) signature indicative of RT-induced oxidative damage. Consistent upregulation of transcriptomic features associated with increased angiogenesis (p=0.0012) and stromal remodeling (p=0.0008) was observed in irradiated samples. Conclusions: Paired transcriptomic analysis following pre-operative RT demonstrated differential upregulation of specific DDR pathways including NHEJ and NER and metabolic alterations related to oxidative stress and glycogen metabolism. AR activity signatures were decreased in response to pre-operative RT.

Phase 1/2 study of EPI-7386 in combination with enzalutamide (enz) compared with enz alone in subjects with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

179 Background: EPI-7386 is a next generation aniten designed to inhibit androgen receptor (AR) activity by binding to the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the AR while effectively blocking transcription despite AR resistance mechanisms driven by the ligand-binding domain (LBD), including point mutations and splice variants. Preclinical models demonstrate the combination of EPI-7386 with enzalutamide (enz) results in a deeper blockade of the AR pathway (per RNAseq and ChIPseq data) and greater antitumor activity, prompting initiation of this trial. Methods: This Phase 1/2 multicenter, open-label clinical trial (NCT05075577) is enrolling mCRPC pts on androgen deprivation therapy and naïve to second-generation antiandrogens (one line of prior chemotherapy allowed). Phase 1 (P1) of the trial examines escalating doses of EPI-7386 in combination with a fixed dose of enz. The primary and secondary endpoints of P1 are to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) aspects of EPI-7386 and enz when administered in combination to establish the recommended Phase 2 combination doses (RP2CDs) and address any possible drug-drug interactions. Once the RP2CDs are established, Phase 2 of the trial will commence as a two -arm, 2:1 randomized trial evaluating the antitumor activity of EPI-7386 in combination with enz versus enz alone. Results: Seven pts have been enrolled in the first 2 cohorts: 3 in cohort 1 (600 mg QD EPI-7386 + 120 mg QD enz) and 4 in cohort 2 (800 mg QD EPI-7386 + 120 mg QD enz). No DLTs were observed, and the safety profile was consistent with second-generation antiandrogens (e.g., Grade 1 or 2 AEs of fatigue and hot flashes). PK results demonstrated enz exposure was minimally impacted by EPI-7386, while, as expected, EPI-7386 exposure was reduced 60-80% by enz (well-established CYP3A4 inducer). The observed EPI-7386 exposures remained in the clinically relevant range suggested by preclinical xenograft studies. 4/6 evaluable patients showed a PSA decrease >90% at/before week 12 regardless of the pt’s previous chemotherapy status and 5/6 evaluable patients achieved a PSA decrease of at least 85%; all 6 patients showed stable disease by imaging. Conclusions: With no safety concerns from cohorts 1 and 2, cohort 3 is enrolling at 600 mg BID EPI-7386 + 120 mg QD enz to assess if the exposure of EPI-7386 can be further increased in light of the augmented metabolism of the drug induced by enz. Clinical trial information: NCT05075577 .

The Role of Epigenetic Change in Therapy-Induced Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer Lineage Plasticity.

The androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway is critical for growth and differentiation of prostate cancer cells. For that reason, androgen deprivation therapy with medical or surgical castration is the principal treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. More recently, new potent AR signaling inhibitors (ARSIs) have been developed. These drugs improve survival for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the lethal form of the disease. However, ARSI resistance is nearly universal. One recently appreciated resistance mechanism is lineage plasticity or switch from an AR-driven, luminal differentiation program to an alternate differentiation program. Importantly, lineage plasticity appears to be increasing in incidence in the era of new ARSIs, strongly implicating AR suppression in this process. Lineage plasticity and shift from AR-driven tumors occur on a continuum, ranging from AR-expressing tumors with low AR activity to AR-null tumors that have activation of alternate differentiation programs versus the canonical luminal program found in AR-driven tumors. In many cases, AR loss coincides with the activation of a neuronal program, most commonly exemplified as therapy-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC). While genetic events clearly contribute to prostate cancer lineage plasticity, it is also clear that epigenetic events—including chromatin modifications and DNA methylation—play a major role. Many epigenetic factors are now targetable with drugs, establishing the importance of clarifying critical epigenetic factors that promote lineage plasticity. Furthermore, epigenetic marks are readily measurable, demonstrating the importance of clarifying which measurements will help to identify tumors that have undergone or are at risk of undergoing lineage plasticity. In this review, we discuss the role of AR pathway loss and activation of a neuronal differentiation program as key contributors to t-NEPC lineage plasticity. We also discuss new epigenetic therapeutic strategies to reverse lineage plasticity, including those that have recently entered clinical trials.

PD07-09 MEIS PROTEINS INHIBIT HOXB13-DEPENDENT PROSTATE CANCER METASTASIS AND ANDROGEN RECEPTOR SIGNALING

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022PD07-09 MEIS PROTEINS INHIBIT HOXB13-DEPENDENT PROSTATE CANCER METASTASIS AND ANDROGEN RECEPTOR SIGNALING Srikanth Perike, Calvin VanOpstall, Mathias Morales, Sophia Lamperis, Steve Kregel, Ryan Brown, and Donald J. Vander Griend Srikanth PerikeSrikanth Perike More articles by this author , Calvin VanOpstallCalvin VanOpstall More articles by this author , Mathias MoralesMathias Morales More articles by this author , Sophia LamperisSophia Lamperis More articles by this author , Steve KregelSteve Kregel More articles by this author , Ryan BrownRyan Brown More articles by this author , and Donald J. Vander GriendDonald J. Vander Griend More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002526.09AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies in men, and its incidence and mortality continue to be a significant clinical problem. Recent evidence from our lab identified MEIS1, an important HOX protein cofactor, as a potential tumor suppressor. Patients bearing MEIS1-positive prostate tumors were significantly less likely to have biochemical recurrence and metastasis compared to men bearing MEIS-negative tumors. Androgen receptor (AR), the major oncogene in PCa, has been shown to interact with HOXB13 to promote prostate cancer progression, but the function of MEIS proteins to antagonize AR/HOXB13 interactions are unknown. We hypothesize that MEIS1 proteins interact with HOXB13 to suppress cancer initiation and progression, and loss of MEIS1 expression in a portion of prostate tumors enables oncogenic AR/HOXB13 interactions. METHODS: We determined the impact of MEIS1 expression and dependency of HOXB13 on AR signaling using cell lines ectopically expressing MEIS1 and/or CRISPR-mediated HOXB13 deletion in both androgen-sensitive LAPC4 and castration-resistant CWR22Rv1 cells. Western blots, qPCR, Proximity Ligation Assay and co-IPs were performed to evaluate the relationship between expression of MEIS1, HOXB13 and AR. Hormonally-intact and castrated male nude mice were used to test the in vivo capability of MEIS1-mediated tumor xenograft formation and rate of tumor growth in the presence and absence of AR ligand. RNA sequencing and informatics analyses was performed on tumor xenografts to determine the global impact of MEIS expression on AR gene targeting in PCa. RESULTS: We found that AR expression was significantly increased when MEIS1 was ectopically expressed compared to controls and HOXB13 knock-out lines. Re-expression of MEIS1 enhanced the binding between HOXB13-MEIS and AR-MEIS, and reduced AR-HOXB13 interaction. In castrated mice, re-expression of MEIS1 significantly decreased the tumor formation and tumor growth rate compared to hormonally intact nude mice. Conversely, xenografts of HOXB13-knockout tumors showed an increased rate of tumor growth and tumor formation compared to MEIS1-expressing cells and controls in both hormonally intact and castrated nude mice. Our preliminary RNA-Seq analysis demonstrate that when MEIS is present, AR pathway activation in response to androgen was associated with increased differentiation and growth suppression. CONCLUSIONS: Our collective data supports our hypothesis that increased MEIS1 expression reduces the AR/HOXB13 interaction and increases the in vivo sensitivity to host castration; this suggests that MEIS-positive cells have decreased oncogenic AR signaling. Future RNA-Seq studies combined with AR ChIP-Seq data will enable us to identify the MEIS-AR targeted genes that are involved in AR pathway modulation that inhibit prostate cancer cell proliferation and suppress tumor progression. These data provide us a strong rationale to support the potential utility of MEIS proteins as predictive clinical biomarkers of metastatic progression. Source of Funding: Funding: This work was supported by the Urology Care Foundation Research Scholar Award sponsored by Chesapeake Urology Associates, DOD grant PC130587, and DOD grant PC180414 © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e102 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Srikanth Perike More articles by this author Calvin VanOpstall More articles by this author Mathias Morales More articles by this author Sophia Lamperis More articles by this author Steve Kregel More articles by this author Ryan Brown More articles by this author Donald J. Vander Griend More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Predictive and Prognostic Biomarker Identification in a Large Cohort of Androgen Receptor-Positive Salivary Duct Carcinoma Patients Scheduled for Combined Androgen Blockade.

Simple SummaryAndrogen receptor signaling seems pivotal in aggressive salivary duct carcinoma. However, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) frequently fails, emphasizing the need for biomarkers to predict treatment response. Here, the activities of several possible tumor-driving pathways were quantified and related to clinical outcome in a large cohort of SDC patients. Our results indicated that AR pathway activity and SRD5A1 expression levels can be used to predict response to ADT, which could prevent overtreatment in clinical practice.Patients suffering from recurrent or metastatic (R/M) salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) are often treated with combined androgen blockade (CAB). However, CAB frequently fails, resulting in a worse prognosis. Therefore, biomarkers that can predict treatment failure are urgently needed. mRNA from 76 R/M androgen receptor (AR)-positive SDC patients treated with leuprorelin acetate combined with bicalutamide was extracted from pre-treatment tumor specimens. AR, Notch, MAPK, TGFβ, estrogen receptor (ER), Hedgehog (HH), and PI3K signaling pathway activity scores (PAS) were determined based on the expression levels of target genes. Additionally, 5-alpha reductase type 1 (SRD5A1) expression was determined. These markers were related to clinical benefit (complete/partial response or stable disease ≥6 months) and progression-free and overall survival (PFS/OS). SRD5A1 expression had the highest general predictive value for clinical benefit and positive predictive value (PPV: 85.7%). AR PAS had the highest negative predictive value (NPV: 93.3%). The fitting of a multivariable model led to the identification of SRD5A1, TGFβ, and Notch PAS as the most predictive combination. High AR, high Notch, high ER, low HH PAS, and high SRD5A1 expression were also of prognostic importance regarding PFS and SRD5A1 expression levels for OS. AR, Notch PAS, and SRD5A1 expression have the potential to predict the clinical benefit of CAB treatment in SDC patients. SRD5A1 expression can identify patients that will and AR PAS patients that will not experience clinical benefit (85.7% and 93.3% for PPV and NPV, respectively). The predictive potential of SRD5A1 expression forms a rational basis for including SRD5A1-inhibitors in SDC patients’ treatment.

Abstract 590: Multiplex liquid biopsy for AR pathway activity in metastatic androgen receptor-positive triple negative breast cancer

Abstract Introduction: The androgen receptor (AR) is expressed in up to 50% of patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), and a luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype has been identified that is dependent on androgen receptor signaling, but AR protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been a suboptimal biomarker for response to anti-androgen therapies in AR-TNBC and there remains an unmet need for biomarkers to identify patients likely to benefit from anti-androgens. We have developed a multiplex liquid biopsy encompassing AR protein expression and downstream gene expression analysis in circulating tumor cells (CTCs). We report here the longitudinal evaluation of this liquid biopsy as part of a phase I trial (NCT03090165) of the anti-androgen bicalutamide with selective CDK4/6 inhibitor ribociclib in metastatic AR-TNBC. Methods: Peripheral blood was collected (n=11) prior to treatment, after two cycles of treatment, and at progression and processed using the VERSA (Versatile Exclusion-based Rare Sample Analysis) microfluidic chip that integrates CTC capture and downstream analysis. For protein expression, fixed CTCs were captured immunomagnetically and stained on chip for AR followed by quantitative fluorescent microscopy. For gene expression analysis, live CTCs were captured immunomagnetically followed by RNA isolation on chip, reverse transcription, and RT-qPCR for a panel of 40 luminal AR genes. Results: AR protein and transcript were detected in CTCs from 10/11 patients, and AR target gene expression in 8/11 patients. The pathologic ligand independent AR splice variant AR-V7 was detected in 2/11 patients. Pretreatment CTC number was higher in patients with anti-androgen resistant (range 3-753) than anti-androgen sensitive (range 0-30) disease. Among patients with low AR IHC (<10%) on biopsy, high AR protein and transcript expression in pre-treatment CTCs was associated with anti-androgen sensitivity. Among patients with high AR IHC (>50%) on biopsy, AR-V7 was detected in CTCs of 2/3 of patients with resistant disease and 0/2 of patients with sensitive disease. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of a longitudinal multiplex liquid biopsy as a pharmacodynamic biomarker of AR pathway activity in AR-TNBC, and suggests that AR pathway activity in CTCs may provide additional information to solid tumor biopsy AR expression in predicting sensitivity to anti-androgens. This work also demonstrates for the first time the detection of AR-V7 in CTCs in anti-androgen resistant AR-TNBC, suggesting that AR-V7 expression may be a mechanism of anti-androgen resistance in AR-TNBC as it is in advanced prostate cancer. Citation Format: Marina N. Sharifi, Serena K. Wolfe, Jamie M. Sperger, Jennifer L. Schehr, Saswati Bhattacharya, Kari B. Wisinski, Joshua M. Lang, Ruth M. O'Regan. Multiplex liquid biopsy for AR pathway activity in metastatic androgen receptor-positive triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 590.

Predictive and prognostic biomarker identification in a large cohort of androgen receptor-positive salivary duct carcinoma patients scheduled for combined androgen blockade.

6071 Background: Patients suffering from recurrent or metastatic (R/M) salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) are often treated with combined androgen blockade (CAB). This treatment however frequently fails (response rates: 18-53%), resulting in a worse prognosis. Therefore, biomarkers that have prognostic value and can predict treatment response are urgently needed. Methods: mRNA from 77 R/M androgen receptor (AR) positive SDC patients treated with leuprorelin acetate combined with bicalutamide was extracted from pre-treatment tumor specimens. AR, Notch, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK), Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFβ), Estrogen Receptor (ER), Hedgehog (HH) and the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway activities were calculated based on expression levels of relevant target genes. Besides this, 5-alpha reductase type 1 ( SRD5A1) expression and Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2) status were determined. Clinical benefit was defined as complete or partial response or stable disease ≥6 months. Results: Of the 7 signaling pathways, AR pathway activity was the best predictor of clinical benefit (AUC 0.67, 95%-CI 0.54-0.80). At a threshold of 47.8, 21% of the patients tested negative, with a negative predictive value of 93%. SRD5A1 expression outperformed the signaling pathways regarding predictive value (AUC 0.78, 95%-CI 0.67-0.88). Fitting of a multivariable model led to the identification of SRD5A1, Notch and TGFβ as most predictive combination (AUC 0.82, 95%-CI 0.72-0.91). AR, Notch, HH and SRD5A1 were also of prognostic importance regarding progression free survival and SRD5A1 expression levels also for overall survival (median of 175.0 weeks for high versus 96.7 weeks for low expression). Conclusions: Our study revealed predictive and/or prognostic value of AR, HH, Notch and TGFβ signaling activities and SRD5A1 expression in SDC patients treated with CAB. AR pathway activity can be used for identifying non-responders. Further clinical validation is required before implementation of these biomarkers in clinical practice. The observed role of SRD5A1 expression in CAB response forms a rational basis for including SRD5A1-inhibitors in the treatment of SDC patients.[Table: see text]

ER and PI3K Pathway Activity in Primary ER Positive Breast Cancer Is Associated with Progression-Free Survival of Metastatic Patients under First-Line Tamoxifen.

Estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer patients are eligible for hormonal treatment, but only around half respond. A test with higher specificity for prediction of endocrine therapy response is needed to avoid hormonal overtreatment and to enable selection of alternative treatments. A novel testing method was reported before that enables measurement of functional signal transduction pathway activity in individual cancer tissue samples, using mRNA levels of target genes of the respective pathway-specific transcription factor. Using this method, 130 primary breast cancer samples were analyzed from non-metastatic ER+ patients, treated with surgery without adjuvant hormonal therapy, who subsequently developed metastatic disease that was treated with first-line tamoxifen. Quantitative activity levels were measured of androgen and estrogen receptor (AR and ER), PI3K-FOXO, Hedgehog (HH), NFκB, TGFβ, and Wnt pathways. Based on samples with known pathway activity, thresholds were set to distinguish low from high activity. Subsequently, pathway activity levels were correlated with the tamoxifen treatment response and progression-free survival. High ER pathway activity was measured in 41% of the primary tumors and was associated with longer time to progression (PFS) of metastases during first-line tamoxifen treatment. In contrast, high PI3K, HH, and androgen receptor pathway activity was associated with shorter PFS, and high PI3K and TGFβ pathway activity with worse treatment response. Potential clinical utility of assessment of ER pathway activity lies in predicting response to hormonal therapy, while activity of PI3K, HH, TGFβ, and AR pathways may indicate failure to respond, but also opens new avenues for alternative or complementary targeted treatments.

Abstract P5-02-08: Androgen receptor pathway activity and the ratio between androgen and estrogen receptor pathway activity in breast cancer subtypes

Abstract Background: Androgen receptor (AR) immunohistochemistry staining in breast cancer has revealed frequent AR expression in all breast cancer subtypes. Activity of the AR signaling pathway can be either tumor suppressive or tumor promoting, depending on tumor context (Pharmacol Ther., In press, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.05.005). For this reason, in an individual patient, AR phenotypic activity needs to be defined in order to choose the proper AR targeted therapy. The AR/ER protein ratio has been suggested as a biomarker to define this AR function and enable the appropriate therapy choice, i.e. androgen therapy in case of a low AR/ER protein expression ratio, and anti-androgen therapy in case of a high ratio. However, AR and ER expression are not necessarily associated with an active signaling pathway. Therefore we investigated the ratio between functional AR and ER pathway activities as this may have an advantage in guiding therapy choice. Methods: AR and ER pathway activity and AR/ER pathway activity ratio were determined on public Affymetrix HG-U133 Plus 2.0 gene expression microarray data of clinical breast cancer studies (available in the GEO database: GSE12276, GSE21653, GSE20685, GSE42568, GSE6532, GSE9195, GSE45827, GSE7307, GSE10780, GSE17907, GSE21422, GSE5764, GSE31192, GSE54002 and Array Express: E-MTAB-365; total n=2090). For this, we used previously described tests that enable quantification of functional pathway activity, based on Bayesian computational model inference of pathway activity from measurements of mRNA levels of target genes of the ER and AR transcription factor (Cancer Res., 2014, vol. 74, no. 11, pp. 2936-2945; Sci Rep., 2019, vol. 9, no. 1, p. 1603). Intrinsic subtyping of all samples has been done using the same methodology as described elsewhere (Am J Pathol, 2018, vol. 188, no. 9, pp 1956-1972).Results: AR pathway activity was increased in all breast cancer subtypes compared to normal breast tissue (p<0.0001); highest AR activity scores were observed in the HER2-enriched subtype. As shown before, ER activity scores were highest in luminal A and B subtypes. The AR/ER pathway activity ratio was low in luminal A and B, and comparable with normal tissue, but high in HER2 and basal breast cancer subtypes (p<0.0001). Discussion: Results are compatible with currently available evidence and show that the AR pathway can be activated in all breast cancer subtypes. We hypothesize that its function depends on the level of co-existent ER pathway activity, i.e. a tumor suppressive function in ER pathway active breast cancer, and a tumor promoting function in ER pathway inactive breast cancer. Upon future clinical conformation, the AR/ER pathway activity ratio as determined on an individual patient tissue sample may be an improved biomarker to guide the choice of (complementary) AR pathway targeted therapy in breast cancer, i.e. androgen receptor pathway inhibitors in case of a high ratio and potential use of androgen receptor modulators in case of a low ratio. Citation Format: Anja van de Stolpe, Yvonne Wesseling-Rozendaal, Marcia Alves de Inda, Henk van Ooijen, Wim Verhaegh. Androgen receptor pathway activity and the ratio between androgen and estrogen receptor pathway activity in breast cancer subtypes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-02-08.

AR pathway activity correlates with AR expression in a HER2-dependent manner and serves as a better prognostic factor in breast cancer.

Androgen receptor (AR) antagonists are currently tested in multiple clinical trials for different breast cancer (BC) subtypes, which emphasizes the need for clarifying the role of AR in this type of cancer. Previous studies showed that AR expression was associated with a favorable prognosis in ER-positive BC. However, the true biological effect of AR signaling in BC is not clear. An AR pathway signature was generated to compute AR pathway activity in BCs (n=6439) from 46 microarray datasets. Associations of AR pathway activity and AR expression with BC prognosis were compared by survival analysis. AR pathway activity showed moderate positive and negative correlations with AR expression in HER2-positive and HER2-negative BCs, respectively. AR pathway activity increased while AR expression decreased in ER-negative BCs. Like ER and progesterone receptor (PR) expression, AR expression was also negatively associated with tumor grade, neoadjuvant response, and recurrence risk in BC. By contrast, AR pathway activity was positively, and more significantly, associated with these clinical features. Moreover, the AR pathway, but not AR expression, was significantly associated with recurrence risk in BC patients treated with endocrine therapy. These data suggest that, although AR expression probably reflects well-differentiated states of BC and is thus associated with favorable prognosis in BC, the biological effects of AR signaling confers worse outcomes in BC. Our findings encourage the continued evaluation of AR antagonists for BC treatment and support that AR pathway activity serves as a better prognostic factor than AR expression in BC.

Prediction of clinical benefit from androgen deprivation therapy in salivary duct carcinoma patients.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is first‐line palliative treatment in androgen receptor‐positive (AR+) salivary duct carcinoma (SDC), and response rates are 17.6–50.0%. We investigated potential primary ADT resistance mechanisms for their predictive value of clinical benefit from ADT in a cohort of recurrent/metastatic SDC patients receiving palliative ADT (n = 30). We examined mRNA expression of androgen receptor (AR), AR splice variant‐7, intratumoral androgen synthesis enzyme‐encoding genes AKR1C3, CYP17A1, SRD5A1 and SRD5A2, AR protein expression, ERBB2 (HER2) gene amplification and DNA mutations in driver genes. Furthermore, functional AR pathway activity was determined using a previously reported Bayesian model which infers pathway activity from AR target gene expression levels. SRD5A1 expression levels and AR pathway activity scores were significantly higher in patients with clinical benefit from ADT compared to those without benefit. Survival analysis showed a trend toward a longer median progression‐free survival for patients with high SRD5A1 expression levels and high AR pathway activity scores. The AR pathway activity analysis, and not SRD5A1 expression, also showed a trend toward better disease‐free survival in an independent cohort of locally advanced SDC patients receiving adjuvant ADT (n = 14) after surgical tumor resection, and in most cases a neck dissection (13/14 patients) and postoperative radiotherapy (13/14 patients). In conclusion, we are the first to describe that AR pathway activity may predict clinical benefit from ADT in SDC patients, but validation in a prospective study is needed.

The Molecular Effects of Sulforaphane and Capsaicin on Metabolism upon Androgen and Tip60 Activation of Androgen Receptor.

Androgen receptor (AR) stimulators, such as androgen and Tip60, play a pivotal role in prostatic carcinogenesis as androgen receptor signaling is critical for the growth and transformation of the prostate gland. Moreover, androgen and Tip60 promotes HIF-1α activation, involved in metabolic reprogramming by increasing glycolysis, a hallmark in cancer initiation and development. In this study we evaluated the effect of androgen and Tip60 stimulus in AR pathway activation and HIF-1α stabilization, in terms of proliferation and cell metabolism in androgen-sensitive LNCaP cells. The protective role of the bioactive compounds sulforaphane and capsaicin against the effect of these stimuli leading to pro-carcinogenic features was also addressed. Sulforaphane and capsaicin decreased nuclear AR, prostate specific antigen and Bcl-XL levels, and cell proliferation induced by androgen and Tip60 in LNCaP cells. These bioactive compounds prevented the increase in glycolysis, hexokinase and pyruvate kinase activity, and reduced HIF-1α stabilization induced by androgen and Tip60 in LNCaP cells. The protective role of sulforaphane and capsaicin on prostate cancer may rely on mechanisms involving the inhibition of Tip60, AR and HIF-1α effects.

Upregulation of Scavenger Receptor B1 Is Required for Steroidogenic and Nonsteroidogenic Cholesterol Metabolism in Prostate Cancer.

Aberrant cholesterol metabolism is increasingly appreciated to be essential for prostate cancer initiation and progression. Transcript expression of the high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol receptor scavenger receptor B1 (SR-B1) is elevated in primary prostate cancer. Hypothesizing that SR-B1 expression may help facilitate malignant transformation, we document increased SR-B1 protein and transcript expression in prostate cancer relative to normal prostate epithelium that persists in lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) metastasis. As intratumoral steroid synthesis from the precursor cholesterol can drive androgen receptor (AR) pathway activity in CRPC, we screened androgenic benign and cancer cell lines for sensitivity to SR-B1 antagonism. Benign cells were insensitive to SR-B1 antagonism, and cancer line sensitivity inversely correlated with expression levels of full-length and splice variant AR. In androgen-responsive CRPC cell model C4-2, SR-B1 antagonism suppressed cholesterol uptake, de novo steroidogenesis, and AR activity. SR-B1 antagonism also suppressed growth and viability and induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy. The inability of exogenous steroids to reverse these effects indicates that AR pathway activation is insufficient to overcome cytotoxic stress caused by a decrease in the availability of cholesterol. Furthermore, SR-B1 antagonism decreased cholesterol uptake, growth, and viability of the AR-null CRPC cell model PC-3, and the small-molecule SR-B1 antagonist block lipid transport-1 decreased xenograft growth rate despite poor pharmacologic properties. Overall, our findings show that SR-B1 is upregulated in primary and castration-resistant disease and is essential for cholesterol uptake needed to drive both steroidogenic and nonsteroidogenic biogenic pathways, thus implicating SR-B1 as a novel and potentially actionable target in CRPC. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings highlight SR-B1 as a potential target in primary and castration-resistant prostate cancer that is essential for cholesterol uptake needed to drive steroidogenic and nonsteroidogenic biogenic pathways.

Harnessing Androgen Receptor Pathway Activation for Targeted Alpha Particle Radioimmunotherapy of Breast Cancer

The impact of androgen receptor (AR) activity in breast cancer biology is unclear. We characterized and tested a novel therapy to an AR-governed target in breast cancer.Experimental Design: We evaluated the expression of prototypical AR gene products human kallikrein 2 (hK2) and PSA in breast cancer models. We screened 13 well-characterized breast cancer cell lines for hK2 and PSA production upon in vitro hormone stimulation by testosterone [dihydrotestosterone (DHT)]. AR-positive lines were further evaluated by exposure to estrogen (17β-Estradiol) and the synthetic progestin D-Norgestrel. We then evaluated an anti-hK2-targeted radiotherapy platform (hu11B6), labeled with alpha (α)-particle emitting Actinium-225, to specifically treat AR-expressing breast cancer xenografts under hormone stimulation. D-Norgestrel and DHT activated the AR pathway, while 17β-Estradiol did not. Competitive binding for AR protein showed similar affinity between DHT and D-Norgestrel, indicating direct AR-ligand interaction. In vivo production of hK2 was sufficient to achieve site-specific delivery of therapeutic radionuclide to tumor tissue at >20-fold over background muscle uptake; effecting long-term local tumor control. [225Ac]hu11B6 targeted radiotherapy was potentiated by DHT and by D-Norgestrel in murine xenograft models of breast cancer. AR activity in breast cancer correlates with kallikrein-related peptidase-2 and can be activated by D-Norgestrel, a common contraceptive, and AR induction can be harnessed for hK2-targeted breast cancer α-emitter radiotherapy.

1079P - Analysis of functional androgen receptor-pathway activity to predict response to androgen deprivation therapy in salivary duct carcinoma

1079P - Analysis of functional androgen receptor-pathway activity to predict response to androgen deprivation therapy in salivary duct carcinoma