Enhancing the anticancer effect of androgen deprivation therapy by monocarboxylate transporter 1 inhibitor in prostate cancer cells

Abstract Background Tumor initiation and progression necessitate a metabolic shift in cancer cells. Consequently, the progression of prostate cancer (PCa), a leading cause of cancer‐related deaths in males globally, involves a shift from lipogenic to glycolytic metabolism. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) serves as the standard treatment for advanced‐stage PCa. However, despite initial patient responses, castrate resistance emerges ultimately, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the role of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) in PCa post‐ADT and evaluate their potential as therapeutic targets. Methods PCa cells (LNCaP and C4‐2 cell line), which has high prostate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and androgen receptor (AR) expression among PCa cell lines, was used in this study. We assessed the expression of MCT1 in PCa cells subjected to ADT using charcoal‐stripped bovine serum (CSS)‐containing medium or enzalutamide (ENZ). Furthermore, we evaluated the synergistic anticancer effects of combined treatment with ENZ and SR13800, an MCT1 inhibitor. Results Short‐term ADT led to a significant upregulation in folate hydrolase 1 ( FOLH1 ) and solute carrier family 16 member 1 ( SLC16A1 ) gene levels, with elevated PSMA and MCT1 protein levels. Long‐term ADT induced notable changes in cell morphology with further upregulation of FOLH1 /PSMA and SLC16A1 /MCT1 levels. Treatment with ENZ, a nonsteroidal anti‐androgen, also increased PSMA and MCT1 expression. However, combined therapy with ENZ and SR13800 led to reduced PSMA level, decreased cell viability, and suppressed expression of cancer stem cell markers and migration indicators. Additionally, analysis of human PCa tissues revealed a positive correlation between PSMA and MCT1 expression in tumor regions. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that ADT led to a significant upregulation in MCT1 levels. However, the combination of ENZ and SR13800 demonstrated a promising synergistic anticancer effect, highlighting a potential therapeutic significance for patients with PCa undergoing ADT.