title: AT-101 (R-(-)-gossypol acetic acid) enhances the effectiveness of androgen deprivation therapy in the VCaP prostate cancer model.
abstract: Prostate cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death in American men. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the most common treatment for advanced prostate cancer patients; however, ADT fails in nearly all cases resulting in castration resistant or androgen-insensitive (AI) disease. In many cases, this progression results from dysregulation of the pro-survival Bcl-2 family proteins. Inhibition of pro-survival Bcl-2 family proteins, therefore, may be an effective strategy to delay the onset of AI disease. Gossypol, a small molecule inhibitor of pro-survival Bcl-2 family proteins, has been demonstrated to inhibit AI prostate cancer growth. The apoptotic effect of gossypol, however, has been demonstrated to be attenuated by the presence of androgen in a prostate cancer xenograft mouse model (Vertebral Cancer of Prostate [VCaP]) treated with AT-101 (R-(-)-gossypol acetic acid). This study was undertaken to better understand the in vitro effects of androgen receptor (AR) on AT-101-induced apoptosis. VCaP cells treated with AT-101 demonstrated an increase in apoptosis and downregulation of Bcl-2 pro-survival proteins. Upon AR activation in combination with AT-101 treatment, apoptosis is reduced, cell survival increases, and caspase activation is attenuated. Akt and X inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) are downregulated in the presence of AT-101, and AR stimulation rescues protein expression. Combination treatment of bicalutamide and AT-101 increases apoptosis by reducing the expression of these pro-survival proteins. These data suggest that combination therapy of AT-101 and ADT may further delay the onset of AI disease, resulting in prolonged progression-free survival of prostate cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.forename: Lalit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Savannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weidner
authors.forename: Shaomeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Pienta
mesh_terms: D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology; D000813:Anilides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006072:Gossypol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism; D014105:Tosyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000728:Androgens; D000813:Anilides; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D009570:Nitriles; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D014105:Tosyl Compounds; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; C053541:bicalutamide; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D006072:Gossypol; C028178:gossypol acetic acid