雄激素受体共调节因子与雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌

雄激素介导的雄激素受体（AR）信号途径对雄性胚胎的发育及雄激素依赖性靶组织的分化发育是必需的。异常的AR活性与前列腺癌由雄激素依赖转变为雄激素非依赖性密切相关。已证实AR共调节因子参与前列腺癌的发生和发展,并在雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌细胞的增殖中扮演着重要角色。它们的表达失衡,可导致AR转录活性的改变,促进晚期前列腺癌的进展。简要综述了AR共调节因子的类型和功能,及其与雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌的关系。     

雄激素受体共调节因子及其在前列腺癌进展中的作用

雄激素受体（AR）信号通路在前列腺癌的发生、进展和转移中发挥着重要作用,但AR介导组织对雄激素的特异应答是通过与其相互作用的AR共调节因子共同完成的,许多AR共调节因子的功能已被广泛研究。简要综述了目前发现的部分AR共调节因子在调节AR转录活性及前列腺癌发生、进展中的生物学作用。     

Immunocytochemical Detection of the Androgen Receptor In Fine Needle Aspirates From Benign and Malignant Human Prostate

A monoclonal antibody to the androgen receptor was applied to fine needle aspirates from patients with benign and malignant prostatic disease. The series includes six patients with benign hyperplasia and 24 patients with prostatic carcinomas. The androgen receptor was detected in most nuclei of both benign and malignant epithelial cells. The intensity of immunostaining varied. No obvious relation was observed between the intensity of the staining in benign versus malignant cells. In addition no clear differences were found in the proportion of androgen receptor positive cells in benign aspirates as compared with aspirates from well differentiated or moderately well differentiated prostatic carcinomas. The relative number of androgen receptor positive cells was highest in smears from poorly differentiated prostatic carcinomas.     

阻断MAPK通路促进雄激素受体招募NCoR并抑制前列腺癌细胞生长

雄激素受体(androgen receptor,AR)是配体调节的转录因子,与前列腺癌的生长和内分泌治疗密切相关.醋酸环丙孕酮(cyproterone acetate,CPA)作为雄激素的拮抗剂已用于前列腺癌的治疗.结合了CPA的AR可与核受体协同抑制因子作用.已证实丝裂原激活的蛋白激酶(mitogen-activated protein kinase,MAPK)可介导生长因子和雄激素受体的信号转导通路的交互作用.我们报道,激活的MAPK抑制结合了CPA的AR招募核受体协同抑制因子(nuclear receptor corepressor,NCoR)至雄激素反应元件上.应用MEK的抑制剂U0126阻断MAPK通路可促进结合了CPA的AR和NCoR相互作用并通过对NCoR的招募增加抑制AR的功能从而阻遏AR靶基因的表达.此外,联合使用CPA和U0126处理稳定表达NCoR的LNCaP细胞可显著抑制前列腺癌细胞的生长.本研究表明,联合应用AR的拮抗剂和MAPK抑制剂有助于前列腺癌的治疗.     

雄激素受体信号转导途径及其在前列腺癌发展中的作用

前列腺癌是西方男性发病率最高的癌症之一,在采用雄激素阻断疗法后,大部分患者的病情可得到控制,但经过一段时间又会转变为雄激素非依赖型前列腺癌。雄激素受体(AR)在前列腺细胞中扮演重要的角色,它可调节大量基因的表达。在前列腺癌由雄激素依赖型向雄激素非依赖型的转变过程中,AR及其信号途径通过多种方式发挥作用,AR基因的扩增、AR的突变,以及与共激活子之间作用的改变都可能使细胞获得雄激素非依赖型的生长能力。此外,AR还受到多肽生长因子和细胞因子等的调节,表现激素非依赖型的转录激活活性。AR在前列腺癌中作用的阐明对前列腺癌的诊断与治疗有着重大的意义。     

Saposin C下调LNCaP细胞雄激素受体的多泛素化降解（英）

本研究旨在证实鞘脂活化蛋白C(saposin C)对雄激素受体（AR）多泛素化降解的影响及其机制. 通过将真核表达载体saposin C转染LNCaP细胞,发现saposin C上调AR的蛋白水平和转录激活活性. 进一步将野生型和突变型泛素质粒Ubwt和UbK48R分别与saposin C 共转染LNCaP细胞发现,saposin C能够促进AR蛋白的单泛素化形式的稳定性,抑制AR的多泛素化修饰及其在蛋白酶体中的降解. 其分子机制是saposin C、Ub和AR三者形成复合体,抑制了AR的进一步多泛素化过程. 同时还发现,在这一机制中,细胞内低浓度的雄激素（0.1 nmol/L）与saposin C具有协同作用.     

雄激素对人前列腺细胞中鸟氨酸脱羧酶基因表达的调节作用

 为探讨雄激素对人前列腺中鸟氨酸脱羧酶（ Ｏ Ｄ Ｃ）基因表达的调节作用,以研究雄激素诱导前列腺良性增生的分子机理,分离培养了人胎儿前列腺间质细胞,以 Ｍ Ｔ Ｔ 法测定不同浓度 Ｄ Ｈ Ｔ对细胞的促增殖作用;以最适浓度的 Ｄ Ｈ Ｔ（１ ０００ μｇ／ Ｌ）刺激该细胞,分别于 ０,３,６,１２,２４,３０ ｈ 提取总 Ｒ Ｎ Ａ,用斑点杂交及 Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎ ｂｌｏｔ 法分析测定各组细胞中 Ｏ Ｄ Ｃ ｍ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ 的丰度,并对杂交膜进行薄层扫描定量．结果显示：（１） Ｄ Ｈ Ｔ 对前列腺间质细胞的增殖呈双相调节作用,即在低浓度时随着 Ｄ Ｈ Ｔ 浓度的增加,对该细胞的促增殖作用增强,１ ０００ μｇ／ Ｌ时刺激活性最强,高浓度 Ｄ Ｈ Ｔ 对该细胞的刺激作用降低．（２）斑点杂交显示,在 １ ０００ μｇ／ Ｌ Ｄ Ｈ Ｔ 刺激细胞后 ６ ｈ 时, Ｏ Ｄ Ｃ ｍ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ开始明显升高,２４ ｈ 达高峰（约为 ０ ｈ 的 ４８ 倍）,至 ３０ ｈ 有所降低．（３） Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎ ｂｌｏｔ 结果显示,人胎儿前列腺间质细胞中有两种 Ｏ Ｄ Ｃ ｍ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ,分别为 ２０ ｋｂ 和 ２６ ｋｂ,经扫描定量结果显示：１ ０００μｇ／ Ｌ Ｄ Ｈ Ｔ 对两种 Ｏ Ｄ Ｃ ｍ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ     

Androgen axis in prostate cancer

Endocrine therapy for advanced prostate cancer is based on androgen ablation or blockade of the androgen receptor (AR). AR action in prostate cancer has been investigated in a number of cell lines, their derivatives, and transgenic animals. AR expression is heterogenous in prostate cancer in vivo; it could be detected in most primary tumors and their metastases. However, some cells lack the AR because of epigenetic changes in the gene promoter. AR expression increases after chronic androgen ablation in vitro. In several xenografts, AR upregulation is the most consistent change identified during progression towards therapy resistance. In contrast, the AR pathway may be by-passed during chronic treatment with a nonsteroidal anti-androgen. AR sensitivity in prostate cancer increases as a result of activation of the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. One of the major difficulties in endocrine therapy for prostate cancer is acquisition of agonistic properties of AR antagonists observed in the presence of mutated AR. Enhancement of AR function by associated coactivator proteins has been extensively investigated. Cofactors SRC-1, RAC3, p300/CBP, TIF-2, and Tip60 are upregulated in advanced prostate cancer. Most studies on ligand-independent activation of the AR are focused on Her-2/neu and interleukin-6 (IL-6). On the basis of studies that showed overexpression and activation of the AR in advanced prostate cancer, it was suggested that novel therapies that reduce AR expression will provide a benefit to patients. There is experimental evidence showing that prostate tumor growth in vitro and in vivo is inhibited following administration of chemopreventive drugs or antisense oligonucleotides that downregulate AR mRNA and protein expression.     

雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌细胞雄激素受体靶基因的筛选与初步鉴定

采用染色质免疫共沉淀技术在全基因组水平筛选雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌细胞LNCaP-AI的雄激素受体结合位点,行高通量测序及生物信息学分析共得到2 876个peak（pvalue〈1×10–5）,peak平均长度为673 bp;将peak序列定位到Hg19基因组,共有1 865个靶基因,其中fold enrichment≥10的基因有425个。对peak相关基因进行GO分析发现,与细胞、细胞组分、细胞过程、结合、细胞器相关的基因位列前五位;对peak相关基因进行通路分析发现,与黏着斑、代谢通路、癌症中的转录错误调控、嘌呤代谢等信号通路相关的基因占大多数。筛选出7个候选AR靶基因,采用Real-time qPCR技术分析它们在LNCaP-AI细胞和雄激素依赖性前列腺癌细胞LNCaP中对DTH刺激的反应性,发现DHT刺激可改变7个候选AR靶基因在LNCaP-AI细胞中的表达,为进一步研究雄激素依赖性前列腺癌向非依赖性前列腺癌发展的过程中雄激素受体及其调控的下游靶基因功能起着至关重要的作用。     

雄激素受体的作用机制

主要概述了雄激素受体的作用机制,特别对影响雄激素受体特异性的因素进行探讨.雄激素受体（AR）属于甾体激素受体超家族,能通过配体依赖方式与特异的DNA序列结合,调控基因转录.     

Regulation of Androgen Receptor Activity by Transient Interactions of Its Transactivation Domain with General Transcription Regulators

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雄激素对雄激素受体调节作用的研究进展

雄激素受体广泛存在于机体各种组织中,通过与雄激素相结合而发挥生物学效应.雄激素受体的表达受诸多因素的作用,其中雄激素对其表达及功能方面的影响发挥重要作用.如雄激素可以调节受体的mRNA表达、代谢和构相等,就这方面的进展情况作一综述.     

淫羊藿苷可缓解肾阳虚小鼠睾酮及性腺雄激素受体基因的表达下调

本文主要研究肾阳虚(kidney yang deficiency)小鼠血清睾酮及性腺雄激素受体基因的表达,旨在揭示淫羊藿苷(icariin)对肾阳虚症状的影响．雄性小鼠随机分为6组,除正常组注射生理盐水外,其余组注射氢化可的松15 d;再分别给大、中、小剂量组淫羊藿苷,阳性组甲基睾酮,正常组和模型对照组蒸馏水,灌胃15 d．放射免疫法测血清中睾酮含量; RT-PCR和免疫组织化学方法检测雄激素受体基因在性腺组织中mRNA和蛋白质的表达情况．对照组小鼠平均体重最轻,与正常组比较差异显著(P＜0.05)．对照组小鼠血清睾酮的含量显著低于正常组(P＜0.05);大、中剂量给药组,阳性组睾酮与正常组相比差异不显著(P＞0.05);性腺组织中,对照组雄激素受体和mRNA比正常组表达量低,差异显著(P＜0.05);中、小剂量给药组,阳性组雄激素受体和mRNA与正常组相比差异不显著(P＞0.05). 结果表明,肾阳虚小鼠血清睾酮含量,性腺雄激素受体mRNA和蛋白质的表达与正常组相比均有所下降,淫羊藿苷能够抑制其下降,缓解肾阳虚症状．     

Androgen receptor: a key molecule in the progression of prostate cancer to hormone independence

Despite earlier detection and recent advances in surgery and radiation, prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer in male cancer deaths in the United States. Hormone therapy in the form of medical or surgical castration remains the mainstay of systemic treatment in prostate cancer. Over the last 15 years with the clinical use of prostate specific antigen (PSA), there has been a shift to using hormone therapy earlier in the disease course and for longer duration. Despite initial favorable response to hormone therapy, over a period of time these tumors will develop androgen‐independence that results in death. The androgen receptor (AR) is central to the initiation and growth of prostate cancer and to its response to hormone therapy. Analyses have shown that AR continues to be expressed in androgen‐independent tumors and AR signaling remains intact as demonstrated by the expression of the AR regulated gene, PSA. Androgen‐independent prostate cancers have demonstrated a variety of AR alterations that are either not found in hormone naïve tumors or found at lower frequency. These changes include AR amplification, AR point mutation, and changes in expression of AR co‐regulatory proteins. These AR changes result in a “super AR” that can respond to lower concentrations of androgens or to a wider variety of agonistic ligands. There is also mounting evidence that AR can be activated in a ligand independent fashion by compounds such as growth factors or cytokines working independently or in combination. These growth factors working through receptor tyrosine kinase pathways may promote AR activation and growth in low androgen environments. The clinical significance of these AR alterations in the development and progression of androgen‐independent prostate cancer remains to be determined. Understanding the changes in AR signaling in the evolution of androgen‐independent prostate cancer will be key to the development of more effective hormone therapy. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Beyond T and DHT - Novel Steroid Derivatives Capable of Wild Type Androgen Receptor Activation

While androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) remains the primary treatment for metastatic prostate cancer (PCa), castration does not eliminate androgens from the prostate tumor microenvironment, and residual intratumoral androgens are implicated in nearly every mechanism by which androgen receptor (AR)-mediated signaling promotes castration-resistant disease. The uptake and intratumoral (intracrine) conversion of circulating adrenal androgens such as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) to steroids capable of activating the wild type AR is a recognized driver of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, less well-characterized adrenal steroids, including 11-deoxcorticosterone (DOC) and 11beta-hydroxyandrostenedione (11OH-AED) may also play a previously unrecognized role in promoting AR activation. In particular, recent data demonstrate that the 5α-reduced metabolites of DOC and 11OH-AED are activators of the wild type AR. Given the well-recognized presence of SRD5A activity in CRPC tissue, these observations suggest that in the low androgen environment of CRPC, alternative sources of 5α-reduced ligands may supplement AR activation normally mediated by the canonical 5α-reduced agonist, 5α-DHT. Herein we review the emerging data that suggests a role for these alternative steroids of adrenal origin in activating the AR, and discuss the enzymatic pathways and novel downstream metabolites mediating these effects. We conclude by discussing the potential implications of these findings for CRPC progression, particularly in context of new agents such as abiraterone and enzalutamide which target the AR-axis for prostate cancer therapy.     

Proteasome-mediated Proteolysis of the Polyglutamine-expanded Androgen Receptor Is a Late Event in Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA) Pathogenesis

Proteolysis of polyglutamine-expanded proteins is thought to be a required step in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases. The accepted view for many polyglutamine proteins is that proteolysis of the mutant protein produces a “toxic fragment” that induces neuronal dysfunction and death in a soluble form; toxicity of the fragment is buffered by its incorporation into amyloid-like inclusions. In contrast to this view, we show that, in the polyglutamine disease spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, proteolysis of the mutant androgen receptor (AR) is a late event. Immunocytochemical and biochemical analyses revealed that the mutant AR aggregates as a full-length protein, becoming proteolyzed to a smaller fragment through a process requiring the proteasome after it is incorporated into intranuclear inclusions. Moreover, the toxicity-predicting conformational antibody 3B5H10 bound to soluble full-length AR species but not to fragment-containing nuclear inclusions. These data suggest that the AR is toxic as a full-length protein, challenging the notion of polyglutamine protein fragment-associated toxicity by redefining the role of AR proteolysis in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy pathogenesis.