An Integrated Preclinical Platform for Lethal Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer from Rapid Autopsy Bone and Liver Metastases

Authors:
Preprint
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
SUMMARY: Treatment-emergent neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive, therapy-resistant disease arising in up to 20% of castration resistant prostate cancers, yet robust biologically relevant preclinical models remain scarce. Here, we describe a technical blueprint for establishing an integrated platform of patient-derived models from visceral and bone metastases collected through a prostate cancer rapid autopsy program (PC RAP). We report the establishment and characterization of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models from liver metastasis tissue, liver and bone metastasis-derived organoid lines (PDOs), and corresponding patient-derived organoid xenograft (PDOX) models. In addition, we established, to our knowledge, the first mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) cultures derived from neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) bone metastases. The PDOs preserved intratumoral heterogeneity, displaying both CRPC-NE and CRPC-adenocarcinoma features. These organoids retained neuroendocrine identity across multiple passages, with transcriptomic profiles concordant with the original patient tissue and matched PDX models generated at our institution and at the National Cancer Institute (NCI Patient-Derived Models Repository). To model the bone metastatic microenvironment, we generated novel organoid-based New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) by co-culturing PDOs with iPSC-derived bone marrow organoids, establishing a physiologically relevant vascularized organotypic model of PC bone metastasis. To extend our studies in vivo, we established preclinical models using the liver and bone metastasis-derived organoid models. The PDOX models were tumorigenic and developed spontaneous lymph node metastases, providing clinically relevant models for investigating lethal NEPC biology. Together, these complementary patient-derived models provide a robust and versatile platform for investigating NEPC biology, metastatic progression, and evaluating new therapeutic strategies. Graphical Highlights: Novel preclinical models of visceral and bone metastases established from a prostate cancer rapid autopsy program. This study is the first to establish mesenchymal stem cell cultures from NEPC bone metastases. PDOs preserve heterogeneity, showing both CRPC-NE and CRPC-Adeno features, with transcriptomic profiles concordant with originator tissue and PDX models. PC RAP-derived organoids are tumorigenic in vivo and generate spontaneous lymph node metastases.
Funding Information
  • NIH NCI (4R01CA274605-04)
  • NIH NIGMS (5P20GM121316-09)
  • NIH NCI (R01CA276846)
  • NCI Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA36727)
  • NCI Research Specialist (R50CA211462)
  • American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant (RSG-19-127-01-CSM)
  • NCI T32 Cancer Biology Training Grant (T32CA009476)
  • NIH NCI (1R01CA263504-01)

This publication has 125 references indexed in Scilit: