FCMHW PROGRAM: Investigating the effects of androgen therapies on the prostate immune system
Contact: A/Prof Luke Selth
Overview:
There are no curative therapies for advanced (metastatic) prostate cancer. Immunotherapies have revolutionised treatment of a number of haematological and solid tumour (e.g. melanoma, lung cancers, however, to date, immunotherapy approaches for prostate cancer have been largely unsuccessful, despite many clinical trials. We propose that harnessing the immune system to treat prostate cancer first requires a better understanding of the unique biology of this disease.
The Centre is well reputed for its substantial contribution to the understanding of the role of male sex hormones (androgens such as testosterone) in the development and progression of most prostate cancers. Androgens interact with prostate cells via their protein receptor in called the androgen receptor (AR). There is, however, no clear understanding of how androgens and androgen receptor activity interact with the immune system.
Some research indicate that androgens suppress immunity whereas other research (including recent research from our group undertaken in the first year of this program supported by the FCMHW) indicates that androgens, the androgen receptor or the androgen-androgen receptor interaction can enhance immune responses in models of prostate cancer.
The objective of this research program is to investigate the interplay between androgen receptor signalling and immunity in prostate cancer. This is a laboratory based program which will utilise laboratory models including prostate cancer cell lines and state of the art proteomics and genomics to quantify protein, genetic and immune responses. A patient-derived model of lethal prostate cancer, developed by the Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men’s Health will also be used. This model is now used by laboratories around the world to fast track drug development pipelines for a number of different cancers.