Abstract P4-04-13: Androstenedione initiates rapid non-genomic signalling mediated by cytoplasmic androgen receptor in aromatase inhibitor resistant breast cancer

Aromatase inhibitors (AI) are the recommended first line therapy used to treat postmenopausal breast cancer. These compounds work by inhibiting the aromatase enzyme thus preventing the conversion of circulating androgens to estrogen; as a consequence they alter the tumour intracrinology and create an unopposed highly androgenic steroid environment.

We have previously reported androgen receptor (AR) protein levels to be up-regulated in an AI resistant cell line (LetR cells), and subsequently identified a mechanism by which AR drives a more aggressive phenotype in AI resistant breast cancer [1]. In this current study, LetR cells are shown to be responsive to the weak androgen androstenedione (4AD), and treatment with this steroid drives an invasive phenotype in vitro. In support of this data, clinical studies have also reported increases in the serum levels of 4AD in patients that recur on AI therapy [2].

In the canonical pathway, androgens bind to the AR which results in a conformational change to an active state. Non-canonical AR activation occurs when ligand-transformed AR interacts with molecular partners within the cytosol to induce rapid intracellular signalling cascades. These events do not depend upon AR mediated gene transcription and occur extremely quickly within a manner of minutes [3]. In vitro studies using western blot analysis and co-localisation experiments have indicated 4AD treatment potentiates a resistant phenotype through non-genomic AR actions initiated by rapid second messenger signalling within the cytoplasm. Mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis has identified androgen-mediated, rapid cytoplasmic AR protein interactions, resulting in the identification of AR partners unique to our resistant model. Of note, evaluation of AR protein and p-ERK1/2 in a cohort of primary breast cancer patients (n=363) demonstrated that high levels of cytoplasmic AR significantly diminished survival in ER+ PR- patients (p=0.023, Fisher's exact). Elevated pERK1/2 when concomitant with increased levels of cytoplasmic AR result in a significant decrease in the period of disease free survival (p=0.018). Further investigations into these AR interactors will help elucidate mechanisms of resistance to AI therapy, and in turn these novel AR protein partners will aid the identification of patients who would benefit from anti-AR therapy.

References

1. Ali, A., et al., Prosaposin activates the androgen receptor and potentiates resistance to endocrine treatment in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research : BCR, 2015. 17(1): p. 123.

2. Elliott, K.M., et al., Effects of aromatase inhibitors and body mass index on steroid hormone levels in women with early and advanced breast cancer. British Journal of Surgery, 2014. 101(8): p. 939-948.

3. Foradori, C.D., M.J. Weiser, and R.J. Handa, Non-genomic actions of androgens. Front Neuroendocrinol, 2008. 29(2): p. 169-81.

Citation Format: Bleach RM, Creevey L, Hill ADK, Madden S, Young LS, Pennington SR, McIlroy M. Androstenedione initiates rapid non-genomic signalling mediated by cytoplasmic androgen receptor in aromatase inhibitor resistant breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-04-13.

Abstract P3-04-18: The impact of circulating androgens on the androgen receptor in aromatase inhibitor resistant breast cancer

Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) therapy is the gold standard first line therapy for post-menopausal breast cancer. Following AI treatment the conversion of circulating androgens into estrone can be diminished by >99%, completely altering the tumour steroid microenvironment. Estrogens have been extensively studied in terms of the role of sex steroids as causative agents of breast cancer but interestingly, a case–control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition reported that elevated levels of both serum androgens and estrogens are associated with increased breast cancer risk (E2 RR: 2.28 and androstenedione RR: 1.94). Also clinical studies have reported increases in the serum levels of androstenedione (4AD) in patients that recur on AI therapy.

In order to begin to address the role of circulating androgens and the androgen receptor (AR) in AI resistant breast cancer, RNA sequencing was performed on AI resistant (MCF7-aro-LetR) cells cultured with 4AD in the presence of letrozole. Gene expression analysis was performed using the cBioPortal software found that PI3K signalling pathways were upregulated in response to 4AD treatment as well as the upregulation of pathways involved in exocytosis and hormone secretion. We found elevated levels of PI3K and AR in endocrine resistant breast cancer compared to sensitive cell lines and that our AI resistant LetR cells showed significant reduction in cell growth in response to the combined pan class PI3K inhibitor BEZ235 and anti-AR treatment. Clinically, we evaluated the potential role of PI3K signalling in AI resistance a breast cancer patient TMA (n=488) was stained immunohistochemically for phospho-AKT and AR. The protective effect conferred by high AR expression in the total patient population (p=0.02) and tamoxifen treated population (p=0.05) was lost in the AI treated population (p=0.49). For p-AKT staining, patients that were positive for p-AKT significantly associate with the more aggressive luminal B classification yet exhibit an inverse association with luminal A subtype. Kaplan Meier analysis revealed that AR is associated with a more favourable outcome in p-AKT negative patients but that this is lost in the context of elevated p-AKT. Furthermore, interrogation of the breast invasive carcinoma TCGA dataset (n=963) revealed that patients with upregulated AR mRNA and wildtype PI3K exhibited more invasive disease compared with those harbouring a PI3K mutation (p=0.02) (n=56). Further investigations into the AR interacting partners will help elucidate potential mechanisms of action and the role of androgens and AR in facilitating breast cancer tumourigenesis.

Citation Format: Creevey L, Ali A, Bleach R, Hill ADK, Young L, McIlroy M. The impact of circulating androgens on the androgen receptor in aromatase inhibitor resistant breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-04-18.