Research & Development, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Müllerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
Bayer Research and Innovation Center, Bayer US LLC, 238 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jan 24;24(3):2289. doi: 10.3390/ijms24032289.
The reduction in androgen synthesis and the blockade of the androgen receptor (AR) function by chemical castration and AR signaling inhibitors represent the main treatment lines for the initial stages of prostate cancer. Unfortunately, resistance mechanisms ultimately develop due to alterations in the AR pathway, such as gene amplification or mutations, and also the emergence of alternative pathways that render the tumor less or, more rarely, completely independent of androgen activation. An essential oncogenic axis activated in prostate cancer is the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, as evidenced by the frequent alterations of the negative regulator phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and by the activating mutations in PI3K subunits. Additionally, crosstalk and reciprocal feedback loops between androgen signaling and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling cascade that activate pro-survival signals and play an essential role in disease recurrence and progression have been evidenced. Inhibitors addressing different players of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway have been evaluated in the clinic. Only a limited benefit has been reported in prostate cancer up to now due to the associated side effects, so novel combination approaches and biomarkers predictive of patient response are urgently needed. Here, we reviewed recent data on the crosstalk between AR signaling and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, the selective inhibitors identified, and the most advanced clinical studies, with a focus on combination treatments. A deeper understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms involved in disease progression and treatment resistance is essential to further guide therapeutic approaches with improved outcomes.
通过化学去势和雄激素受体 (AR) 信号抑制剂来减少雄激素合成和阻断 AR 功能,代表了前列腺癌初始阶段的主要治疗方法。不幸的是,由于 AR 途径的改变,如基因扩增或突变,以及替代途径的出现,导致肿瘤对雄激素激活的依赖性降低或更罕见的完全丧失,最终会产生耐药机制。在前列腺癌中激活的一个重要致癌轴是磷脂酰肌醇-3-激酶 (PI3K)/AKT/雷帕霉素靶蛋白 (mTOR) 途径,这一点可以从负调节剂磷酸酶和张力蛋白同源物 (PTEN) 的频繁改变和 PI3K 亚单位的激活突变得到证明。此外,已经证明雄激素信号和 PI3K/AKT/mTOR 信号级联之间的串扰和相互反馈循环激活了促生存信号,并在疾病复发和进展中发挥着重要作用。已经在临床上评估了针对 PI3K/AKT/mTOR 途径不同靶点的抑制剂。由于相关的副作用,迄今为止,在前列腺癌中仅报告了有限的获益,因此迫切需要新的联合治疗方法和预测患者反应的生物标志物。在这里,我们综述了最近关于 AR 信号和 PI3K/AKT/mTOR 途径之间的串扰、已鉴定的选择性抑制剂以及最先进的临床研究的相关数据,重点关注联合治疗。更深入地了解疾病进展和治疗耐药性中涉及的复杂分子机制,对于进一步指导改善治疗效果的治疗方法至关重要。