We have previously demonstrated that human H2-relaxin can mediate androgen-independent growth of LNCaP through a mechanism that involves the activation of the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway. The goal of the current study is to elucidate the mechanism(s) by which H2-relaxin causes activation of the AR pathway. Our data indicate that there is cross-talk between AR and components of the Wnt signaling pathway. Addition of H2-relaxin to LNCaP cells resulted in increased phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and inhibitory phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3b (GSK-3b) with subsequent cytoplasmic accumulation of b-catenin. Immunoprecipitation and immunocytochemical studies demonstrated that the stabilized b-catenin formed a complex with AR, which was then translocated into the nucleus. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis determined that the AR/b-catenin complex binds to the proximal region of the prostatespecific antigen promoter. Inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, using LY294002, prevented both H2-relaxin-mediated phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3b and translocation of b-catenin/AR into the nucleus. Knockdown of b-catenin levels using a b-cateninspecific small interfering RNA inhibited H2-relaxin-induced AR activity. The combined data demonstrate that PI3K/ Akt and components of the Wnt pathway can facilitate H2-relaxin-mediated activation of the AR pathway.
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