# Targeting androgen receptor signaling in prostate cancer in men with African ancestry

> **NIH NIH U54** · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · 2022 · $96,302

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in American men. Although men with
European ancestry (EA) still represent the largest population of PCa patients, men with African ancestry (AA)
are disproportionately affected by PCa with higher prevalence and worse outcomes. Androgen receptor (AR), a
ligand-dependent nuclear transcription factor, plays a pivotal role in PCa development, and there are well-
established genetic differences in the AR gene and associated pathways between EA versus AA men. However,
it remains unclear how these genetic differences alter AR interaction with associated proteins, and their potential
role in PCa development and response to AR targeted therapies. In this study, we hypothesize that differences
in AR signaling contribute to the biological differences between PCa in AA versus EA men, and that PCa in AA
men may have distinct AR-dependencies and be vulnerable to therapies that combine AR-targeted therapies
with other targeted agents. To test these hypotheses, Aim 1 will assess the effect of androgen stimulation on
PCa cells from AA versus EA patients, and in isogenic cells reflecting the genetic difference of AR. Aim 2 will
identify vulnerabilities generated in response to AR-targeted therapies in AA versus EA PCa models.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10490377
- **Project number:** 5U54CA156732-12
- **Recipient organization:** DANA-FARBER CANCER INST
- **Principal Investigator:** Steven P. Balk
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $96,302
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2010-09-27 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10490377

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10490377, Targeting androgen receptor signaling in prostate cancer in men with African ancestry (5U54CA156732-12). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10490377. Licensed CC0.

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