Androgen Receptor Response Elements Research Articles

Proteasome inhibitor PS-341 down-regulates prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and induces growth arrest and apoptosis of androgen-dependent human prostate cancer LNCaP cells.

Proteasome inhibitor PS-341 induces growth arrest and apoptosis of multiple myeloma (MM) cells via inactivation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) in vitro. In addition, recent clinical studies of PS-341 have demonstrated some objective responses in individuals with relapsed, refractory MM. However, the activity of PS-341 against non-hematological malignancies remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, we found that PS-341 induced growth arrest and apoptosis of androgen-dependent human prostate cancer LNCaP cells in conjunction with markedly up-regulated levels of p21(waf1) and p53. In addition, we found that PS-341 down-regulated both 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT)- and interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as measured by western blot analysis. PS-341 down-regulated basal levels of the androgen receptor (AR) in the nucleus; however, it did not affect DHT-induced nuclear translocation of AR in these cells. Reporter assays using a series of promoters of the PSA gene showed that down-regulation of PSA by PS-341 was caused by inhibition of the transcriptional activity of the androgen receptor response element (ARE) in these cells. Taken together, the results indicate that PS-341 induced growth arrest and apoptosis of LNCaP cells by blockade of the AR signaling pathway. The proteasome may be a molecular target for treatment of a variety of cancers including prostate cancer.

RWJ-241947 (MCC-555), a unique peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ligand with antitumor activity against human prostate cancer in vitro and in beige/nude/ X-linked immunodeficient mice and enhancement of apoptosis in myeloma cells induced by arsenic trioxide.

RWJ-241947 (MCC-555) is a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ligand of the thiazolidinedione class that was recently developed as an antidiabetic drug with unique properties. Some thiazolidinediones have anticancer activity against solid and hematological malignancies; the anticancer potency of RWJ-241947 has not been examined. We, therefore, investigated these effects in vitro and in vivo either alone or in combination with other compounds. Tumor growth was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, soft agar colony assay in vitro, and xenografts in nude mice. Its effects on cell cycle, differentiation, and apoptosis were examined. In vitro studies using various solid and hematological tumor cell lines showed that RWJ-241947 had antiproliferative activity against prostate cancer cells, with the strongest effect against the androgen-independent PC-3 prostate cancer cells. It increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1), deceased cyclin E, and induced apoptosis in PC-3 cells. It increased E-cadherin and lowered protein expression of prostate-specific antigen without down-regulating the androgen receptor in androgen-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Reporter gene assays showed that this peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ligand inhibited androgen activation of the androgen receptor response elements of the prostate-specific antigen gene. Remarkably, in vivo treatment of male beige/nude/X-linked immunodeficient (BNX) mice with RWJ-241947 profoundly suppressed growth of PC-3 prostate cancer xenografts with prominent apoptosis, as well as fibrosis, including inflammatory and giant cell reaction in the remaining tumor tissue. Notably, the experimented mice had a significantly decreased cholesterol. In addition, we studied the combination of arsenic trioxide (As2O3), which is used in the treatment of multiple myeloma, and RWJ-241947; these two reagents together prominently inhibited proliferation and caused apoptosis of multiple myeloma cells. RWJ-241947 has surprisingly potent antiproliferative effects against prostate cancer cells in vivo, and it enhances the antitumor activity of As2O3 against myeloma cells. Small, well-defined clinical studies using RWJ-241947 are in order for these cancers.

Suppression Versus Induction of Androgen Receptor Functions by the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway in Prostate Cancer LNCaP Cells with Different Passage Numbers

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway controls several important biological functions, such as cell growth regulation, apoptosis, and migration. However, the way in which PI3K/Akt controls androgen receptor (AR)-mediated prostate cancer cell growth remains unclear and controversial. Here, we demonstrate that the PI3K/Akt pathway regulates AR activity in a cell passage number-dependent manner. Specifically, PI3K/Akt pathway can suppress AR activity in androgen-dependent LNCaP cells with low passage numbers. In contrast, it can also enhance AR activity in LNCaP cells with high passage numbers. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that insulin-like growth factor-1 can activate the PI3K/Akt pathway that results in the phosphorylation of AR at Ser210 and Ser790. The consequence of these events may then change the stability of AR protein. Together, our results demonstrate that the PI3K/Akt pathway may have distinct mechanisms to modulate AR functions in various stages of prostate cancer cells and that a combined therapy of antiandrogens and anti-PI3K/Akt inhibitors may be worth considering as a future therapeutic approach to battle prostate cancer.

PC-SPES: Molecular mechanism to induce apoptosis and down-regulate expression of PSA in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells

PC-SPES is an eight-herbal mixture which has activity against prostate cancer cells and can reduce the serum level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in more than 80% of individuals with prostate cancer. We conducted this study to begin to clarify the molecular mechanism by which PC-SPES inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells and down-regulated expression of PSA. Western blot analysis, luciferase reporter assay using a variety of promoters of the PSA gene and the isolated androgen receptor response elements (ARE), as well as electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were employed to study the effect of PC-SPES on DHT-induced expression of PSA in LNCaP androgen-dependent human prostate cancer cells. Also, Western blot analysis and luciferase reporter assay using 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate response elements were employed to study the ability of PC-SPES to activate the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)/c-Jun/AP-1 signal pathway in these cells. Reporter studies showed that PC-SPES inhibited DHT-induced PSA promoter/enhancer-luciferase activity via inhibition of ARE transcriptional activity. Western blot analysis showed that PC-SPES down-regulated DHT-induced expression of PSA without decreasing DHT-induced nuclear level of AR. EMSA demonstrated that PC-SPES inhibited the binding of DHT-activated AR to ARE. Moreover, we found that PC-SPES phosphorylated JNK, increased levels of phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of c-Jun, and enhanced AP-1 transcriptional activity in LNCaP cells. Interestingly, when LNCaP cells were stably tranfected with the dominant negative JNK binding domain (JBD) of JNK-interacting protein-1 (JIP-1), these cells no longer underwent apoptosis and growth inhibition in the presence of PC-SPES. But, PC-SPES still decreased levels of PSA in the LNCaP-JIP-1 cells. Taken together, PC-SPES inhibited binding of DHT-activated AR to AREs of PSA gene resulting in down-regulation of ARE transcriptional activity and expression of PSA, and this occurred independently of the JNK/c-Jun/AP-1 signal pathway. Also, PC-SPES activated the JNK/c-Jun/AP-1 signal pathway resulting in growth arrest and apoptosis of prostate cancer cells.