The Critical Interplay of CAF Plasticity and Resistance in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a common malignancy driven by the androgen receptor (AR) pathway, with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) being a standard treatment. However, the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) poses a significant challenge. CRPC is characterized by significantly increased tumor heterogeneity and lineage plasticity. Current research has primarily emphasized intrinsic tumor mechanisms, paying less attention to the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer recurrence and drug resistance. In their recent study published in Cancer Cell, Wang and colleagues employed single-cell RNA sequencing in genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) with prostate tumors at different stages. They revealed that SPP1+ myofibroblastic cancer-associated fibroblasts (myCAFs), induced by ADT, play an instrumental role in CRPC development. Their work also underscores the association between therapy-induced phenotypic alterations of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and disease progression. This discovery highlights the potential for stromal compartment targeting as a means to mitigate CRPC development and overcome treatment resistance.