Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a drug that can stop the growth of prostate cancer by blocking its genetic mechanisms. The results were published in the journal Nature Genetics.
The study found that malignant prostate cells depend on certain stretches of DNA called enhancers that act as 'switches' on tumor growth. The scientists identified a key chemical marker for these enhancers, acetylation of H2BNTac, as well as the p300 and CBP enzymes responsible for its activation.
Based on this discovery, the team developed CBPD-409, a drug that selectively disrupts the p300 and CBP enzymes. By destroying them, the drug eliminates the H2BNTac marker and thereby suppresses the activity of androgen receptors, the main drivers of tumor growth.
In experiments on cell cultures and animal models, the drug stopped the development of treatment-resistant forms of prostate cancer and caused tumor regression without noticeable side effects.
According to the authors, this approach paves the way for a new type of therapy: targeted degradation of proteins that control malignant processes. Researchers believe that this method can be the basis for the treatment of the most aggressive and drug-resistant forms of the disease.
