Novel Cell Surface Receptor Variants as Biomarkers for Hormone-Refractory Human Prostate Cancer

Abstract (Set) Prostate cancer cells depend on hormones and hormone receptor activity for growth and survival. Some prostate cancer cells progress to a phenotype that is aggressive and no longer susceptible to hormone therapies that are standard treatments for prostate tumors. JHU scientists have identified novel cell surface receptor gene variants that are specifically expressed in hormone-refractory prostate cancer cells present in primary clinical samples from prostate resections and radical prostatectomies. These newly discovered cell surface receptor gene variants can be used as diagnostic biomarkers to detect prostate cancer cells typical of advanced stage tumors. These receptor gene variants can also be prognostic biomarkers to detect populations of hormone-dependent prostate cancer cells that will progress to hormone-independent phenotype. The advantage of using these novel cell surface receptor variants as biomarkers is the quick identification of patients having advanced tumors that would not respond to standard treatment. The cell surface receptor gene variants could also be used to develop therapeutics that would be cell surface receptor gene or protein specific. Such targeted therapies could overcome the disadvantages of standard hormone-based therapeutics. Description (Set) • Diagnostic biomarker for advanced prostate cancer.
• Potential therapeutic target. Proposed Use (Set) These cell surface receptor variants can be commercialized as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of hormone-refractory prostate cancer and other related diseases. They also have potential as specific therapeutic targets for gene specific therapy or antibody-based therapeutics.

Inventor(s): Luo, Jun ,Bova, G. Steven,Dunn, Thomas,Hu, Rong,Isaacs, William Brewster

Type of Offer: Licensing



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