Background: Our previous studies demonstrated that a novel quinazoline derivative, DZ-50, inhibited prostate cancer epithelial cell invasion and survival by targeting insulin-like-growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and mediating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) conversion to mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). This study investigated the therapeutic value of DZ-50 agent in in vitro and in vivo models of advanced prostate cancer and the ability of the compound to overcome resistance to antiandrogen (enzalutamide) in prostate tumors.
Approach: LNCaP and LNCaP-enzalutamide resistant human prostate cancer (LNCaP-ER) cells, as well as 22Rv1 and enzalutamide resistant, 22Rv1-ER were used as cell models. The effects of DZ-50 and the antiandrogen, enzalutamide (as single agents or in combination) on cell death, EMT-MET interconversion, and expression of IGFBP3 and the androgen receptor (AR), were examined. The TRAMP mouse model of prostate cancer progression was used as a pre-clinical model. Transgenic mice (20-wks of age) were treated with DZ-50 (100 mg/kg for 2 wks, oral gavage daily) and prostate tumors were subjected to immunohistochemical assessment of apoptosis, cell proliferation, markers of EMT and differentiation and IGFBP-3 and AR expression. A tissue microarray (TMA) was analyzed for expression of IGBP-3, the target of DZ-50 and its association with tumor progression and biochemical recurrence.
Results: We found that treatment with DZ-50 enhanced the anti-tumor response to the antiandrogen via promoting EMT to MET interconversion, in vitro. This DZ-50-mediated phenotypic reversal to MET leads to prostate tumor re-differentiation in vivo, by targeting nuclear IGFBP-3 expression (without affecting AR). Analysis of human prostate cancer specimens and TCGA patient cohorts revealed that overexpression of IGBP-3 protein correlated with tumor recurrence and poor patient survival.
Conclusions: These findings provide significant new insights into (a) the predictive value of IGFBP-3 in prostate cancer progression and (b) the antitumor action of DZ-50, [in combination or sequencing with enzalutamide] as a novel approach for the treatment of therapeutically resistant prostate cancer.
Keywords: Drug-induced phenotypic reversion; prostate tumors; therapeutic response.