Androgen Receptor-Mediated Gene Activation in Prostate Cancer Cells

This study explored androgen receptor (AR)-mediated gene regulation in prostate cancer (PC) cells, focusing on chromatin-level mechanisms and drug resistance. It characterized AR-dependent transcription of two target genes: ELK4, with functional androgen response elements (AREs) in its promoter, and FKBP51, with AREs in distal enhancers. The study found that AR and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) shared similar regulatory mechanisms, with differences in binding affinity and periodicity. AR uniquely regulated the neighboring gene C6orf81 due to binding affinity differences. ELK4 was shown to promote PC cell growth, with elevated expression during cancer progression. Overexpression of AR in VCaP cells affected antiandrogen drug function. The findings provided insights into AR-mediated gene activation, PC progression, and drug resistance, potentially aiding new therapy development.