Circumventing anti-androgen resistance by molecular design

J Am Chem Soc. 2007 Apr 4;129(13):3822-3. doi: 10.1021/ja0701154. Epub 2007 Mar 10.

Abstract

Nuclear/steroid hormone receptors (NHRs) function as ligand-dependent transcriptional regulators of diverse sets of genes involved in development and homeostasis. Mutations to the androgen receptor (AR), a member of NHRs, have been linked to the failure of hormonal therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa). It has been proposed that AR mutations such as Thr877 → Ala, Trp741 → Leu and Trp741 → Cys that cause anti-androgens such as flutamide and bicalutamide to function as agonists are likely associated with anti-androgen withdrawal syndrome in PCa therapy. The recently solved crystal structure of bicalutamide was used to design analogs that would complement the Trp741 → Leu mutation effectively restoring antagonist action of the ligand. Three out of the six designed analogs showed potent antagonistic activity in all three mutations as well as wild-type, suggesting that these analogs may be considered “pan-antagonists” of AR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Androgen Antagonists / chemistry*
  • Androgen Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Androgen Receptor Antagonists*
  • Androgens / metabolism
  • Anilides / chemistry
  • Anilides / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Drug Design*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Genes, Reporter / genetics
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nitriles / chemistry
  • Nitriles / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Androgen / chemistry
  • Receptors, Androgen / genetics
  • Receptors, Androgen / metabolism
  • Tosyl Compounds / chemistry
  • Tosyl Compounds / pharmacology

Substances

  • Androgen Antagonists
  • Androgen Receptor Antagonists
  • Androgens
  • Anilides
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Nitriles
  • Receptors, Androgen
  • Tosyl Compounds
  • bicalutamide