Targeting the radiation-induced ARv7-mediated circNHS/miR-512-5p/XRCC5 signaling with Quercetin increases prostate cancer radiosensitivity

Background Radiation therapy (RT) with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is an effective therapy to suppress the locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa). However, we unexpectedly found that RT could also induce the androgen receptor splice variant 7 (ARv7) expression to decrease the radiosensitivity. Methods The study was designed to target ARv7 expression with Quercetin or ARv7-shRNA that leads to enhancing and increasing the radiation sensitivity to better suppress the PCa that involved the modulation of the circNHS/miR-512-5p/XRCC5 signaling. Results Mechanism studies revealed that RT-induced ARv7 may function via altering the circNHS/miR-512-5p/XRCC5 signaling to decrease the radiosensitivity. Results from preclinical studies using multiple in vitro cell lines and in vivo mouse models concluded that combining RT with the small molecule of Quercetin to target full-length AR and ARv7 could lead to better efficacy to suppress PCa progression. Conclusion Together, these results suggest that ARv7 may play key roles to alter the PCa radiosensitivity, and targeting this newly identified ARv7 mediated circNHS/miR-512-5p/XRCC5 signaling with Quercetin may help physicians to develop a novel RT to better suppress the progression of PCa.

Automated summary

This study found that radiation therapy (RT) can induce the expression of androgen receptor splice variant 7 (ARv7), leading to decreased sensitivity to radiation therapy, and this effect may be mediated by altering the circNHS/miR-512-5p/XRCC5 signaling pathway. Combining RT with the small molecule Quercetin was found to be more effective in suppressing the progression of prostate cancer (PCa).