Alterations in DNA repair promote tumor development, but the impact on tumor progression is poorly understood. Here, discovery of a biochemical circuit linking hormone signaling to DNA repair and therapeutic resistance is reported. Findings show that androgen receptor (AR) activity is induced by DNA damage and promotes expression and activation of a gene expression program governing DNA repair. Subsequent investigation revealed that activated AR promotes resolution of double-strand breaks and resistance to DNA damage both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNAPKcs) was identified as a key target of AR after damage, controlling AR-mediated DNA repair and cell survival after genotoxic insult. Finally, DNAPKcs was shown to potentiate AR function, consistent with a dual role in both DNA repair and transcriptional regulation. Combined, these studies identify the AR–DNAPKcs circuit as a major effector of DNA repair and therapeutic resistance and establish a new node for therapeutic intervention in advanced disease.

Significance: The present study identifies for the first time a positive feedback circuit linking hormone action to the DNA damage response and shows the significant impact of this process on tumor progression and therapeutic response. These provocative findings provide the foundation for development of novel nodes of therapeutic intervention for advanced disease. Cancer Discov; 3(11); 1254–71. ©2013 AACR.

See related commentary by Bartek et al., p. 1222

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1207