Structural basis for antagonism and resistance of bicalutamide in prostate cancer

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Apr 26;102(17):6201-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0500381102. Epub 2005 Apr 15.

Abstract

Carcinoma of the prostate is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. The current pharmacological treatment of choice for progressive androgen-dependent prostate cancer is the nonsteroidal antiandrogen, bicalutamide, either as monotherapy or with adjuvant castration or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone superagonists to block the synthesis of endogenous testosterone. To date, no nonsteroidal or antagonist-bound androgen receptor (AR) structure is available. We solved the x-ray crystal structure of the mutant W741L AR ligand-binding domain bound to R-bicalutamide at 1.8-A resolution. This mutation confers agonist activity to bicalutamide and is likely involved in bicalutamide withdrawal syndrome. The three-dimensional structure demonstrates that the B ring of R-bicalutamide in the W741L mutant is accommodated at the location of the indole ring of Trp-741 in the WT AR bound to dihydrotestosterone. Knowledge of the binding mechanism for R-bicalutamide will provide molecular rationale for the development of new antiandrogens and selective AR modulators.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Androgen Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Anilides / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Binding Sites
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nitriles
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Receptors, Androgen / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Androgen / drug effects
  • Receptors, Androgen / genetics
  • Tosyl Compounds

Substances

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

Associated data

  • PDB/1Z95