Publications

INTRODUCTION

Prostate cancer (PCa) is currently the second most common cancer affecting men worldwide. Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is the incurable form of PCa, carrying the poorest prognosis, and can develop from non-metastatic CRPC (M0 CRPC). CRPC is defined as progression of the disease with castrate level testosterone levels, achieved with primary androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). M0 CRPC is a highly heterogeneous disease process lacking clear standard of care therapies. Areas covered: In this review, a broad literature search was undertaken to explore data available for therapeutic options and guidelines in the management of M0 CRPC. Expert commentary: While there are compelling data for various therapeutics for the treatment of M0 CRPC, no clear standard of care is apparent at this time. Furthermore, technological advances in imaging may have a significant impact on this future of this disease state.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an obstructive disease of the precapillary pulmonary arteries. Schistosomiasis-associated PAH shares altered vascular TGF-β signalling with idiopathic, heritable and autoimmune-associated etiologies; moreover, TGF-β blockade can prevent experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH) in pre-clinical models. TGF-β is regulated at the level of activation, but how TGF-β is activated in this disease is unknown. Here we show TGF-β activation by thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is both required and sufficient for the development of PH in Schistosoma-exposed mice. Following Schistosoma exposure, TSP-1 levels in the lung increase, via recruitment of circulating monocytes, while TSP-1 inhibition or knockout bone marrow prevents TGF-β activation and protects against PH development. TSP-1 blockade also prevents the PH in a second model, chronic hypoxia. Lastly, the plasma concentration of TSP-1 is significantly increased in subjects with scleroderma following PAH development. Targeting TSP-1-dependent activation of TGF-β could thus be a therapeutic approach in TGF-β-dependent vascular diseases.