Impeding the adaptive response of prostate cancer to androgen targeted therapies with relaxin receptor antagonist

Androgen deprivation and androgen targeted therapies (ATT) are established treatments for prostate cancer (PCa). Although initially effective, ATT induces an adaptive response that leads to treatment resistance. Increased expression of relaxin-2 (RLN2) is an important alteration in the adaptive response. RLN2 has a well described role in PCa cell proliferation, adhesion and tumour growth. The objectives of this study were to develop cell models for studies of RLN2 signalling and to implement in vitro assays for evaluating the therapeutic properties of the unique RLN2 receptor (RXFP1) antagonist

Modulation of protease expression in prostate cancer cells after androgen deprivation

Understanding mechanisms associated with the emergence of castration resistant prostate cancer cells (CRPC) after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is essential to create new therapeutic agents to counteract this aggressive form of prostate cancer (PCa). Because proteases are involved in almost all cancer associated mechanisms such as cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, we are interested in their modulation in PCa after ADT and their involvement in CRPC.