International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol.13, No.9, 11530-11542, 2012
Effects of Sorafenib on C-Terminally Truncated Androgen Receptor Variants in Human Prostate Cancer Cells
Recent evidence suggests that the development of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPCa) is commonly associated with an aberrant, ligand-independent activation of the androgen receptor (AR). A putative mechanism allowing prostate cancer (PCa) cells to grow under low levels of androgens, is the expression of constitutively active, C-terminally truncated AR lacking the AR-ligand binding domain (LBD). Due to the absence of a LBD, these receptors, termed AR Delta LBD, are unable to respond to any form of anti-hormonal therapies. In this study we demonstrate that the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib inhibits AR as well as AR Delta LBD-signalling in CRPCa cells. This inhibition was paralleled by proteasomal degradation of the AR- and AR Delta LBD-molecules. In line with these observations, maximal antiproliferative effects of sorafenib were achieved in AR and AR Delta LBD-positive PCa cells. The present findings warrant further investigations on sorafenib as an option for the treatment of advanced AR-positive PCa.