Tyrphostin AGS25 triggers p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent apoptosis in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells C4 and C4-2

Prostate cancer (PCa) progression is aided by abnormal autocrine growth fac tor loops. We screened for small cell-permeable inhibitors of receptor tyro sine kinases that could block their signaling and trigger cell death in PCa cell lines. We found that the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) -2/neu inhibitor tyrphostin AG825 is preferentially toxic to PCa cells that are phenotypically androgen independent. These effects were dose and time dependent in the human LNCaP, C4, and C4-2 cell line models of progression and correlated with the inhibition of HER-2/neu phosphoactivation and its d own-regulation. In addition, we show that the inhibition of HER-2/neu signa ling with AG825 triggers an imbalance between extracellular signal-regulate d kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, which lea ds to p38-dependent apoptosis. Inhibition of HER-1 with Compound 56 had no effect. These findings suggest that the androgen-independent C4 and C4-2 ce lls can be killed by selectively inhibiting their HER-2/neu signaling pathw ay and provide insights into the mechanism of action of AGS25 in PCa cells.