“New study identifies biological mechanism driving therapy resistance in advanced prostate cancer”

Key points

• Researchers from University of Chicago and Fred Hutchinson identified tRNAArg (UCU)-1 as key in therapy resistance.
• Low levels of tRNAArg (UCU)-1 act as a molecular switch enabling lineage plasticity to neuroendocrine prostate cancer.
• Restoring tRNAArg (UCU)-1 or SMARCC2 re-sensitized resistant cells to androgen receptor–targeted therapies.
• Two proteins TARDBP and ZSCAN29 help keep tRNAArg (UCU)-1 active, linking to treatment response.
• Study suggests RNA-targeted therapeutics could reverse resistance in advanced prostate cancer.