Investigating Novel Epigenetic Drivers of Bone Metastasis and Treatment Response in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

The most common site of prostate cancer metastasis is to bone, which is a major contributor to the morbidity and mortality of this disease. In order to develop novel and more effective therapies for metastatic prostate cancer, a better understanding of the biology of bone metastasis is needed. Dr. Juan Arriaga has discovered the protein ATAD2 as a major player in prostate cancer bone metastasis, using a unique mouse model of bone metastasis that is molecularly conserved with human prostate cancer. In this project, Dr. Arriaga will determine the molecular basis by which ATAD2 contributes to prostate cancer bone metastasis. In addition, the potential for ATAD2-targeting small molecule inhibitors as a new treatment for prostate cancer in combination with hormone therapy will be tested in preclinical models. If successful, this will project will determine how ATAD2 impacts the development of bone metastasis and resistance to hormonal therapies, and validate its potential as a novel therapeutic target in metastatic prostate cancer.