Non-apoptotic function of caspase-8 confers prostate cancer enzalutamide resistance via NF-κB activation

Caspase-8 is a unique member of caspases with a dual role in cell death and survival. Caspase-8 expression is often lost in some tumors, but increased in others, indicating a potential pro-survival function in cancer. By analyzing transcriptome of enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells, we found that resistance was conferred by a mild caspase-8 upregulation that in turn led to NF-kappa B activation and the subsequent upregulation of the downstream IL-8. Mechanistically, we found that the pro-survival and enzalutamide-resistance-promoting features of caspase-8 were independent of its proteolytic activity, using a catalytically-inactive caspase-8 mutant. We further demonstrated that caspase-8 pro-apoptotic function was inhibited via cFLIP binding. Moreover, high caspase-8 expression was correlated with a worse prognosis in prostate cancer patients. Collectively, our work demonstrates that enzalutamide-resistance is mediated by caspase-8 upregulation and the consequent increase in NF-kappa B/IL-8 mediated survival signaling, highlighting caspase-8 and NF-kappa B as potential therapeutic targets to overcome enzalutamide-resistance in CRPC.

Automated summary

Caspase-8 plays a dual role in cell death and survival in cancer, and its upregulation in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer leads to increased NF-kappa B/IL-8 mediated survival signaling, contributing to therapy resistance. Targeting Caspase-8 and NF-kappa B may be a potential strategy to overcome enzalutamide resistance in CRPC.