Enzymology of the Prostate Cancer Biomarker alpha-Methylacyl-CoA Racemase

(AMACR (Alpha-MethylAcyl-CoA Racemase) is an enzyme, which is encoded by a gene that is overexpressed in prostate cancer cells, but not in normal ones. To date, little is known about the enzyme’s precise role in prostate cancer or whether inhibiting it might help kill prostate cancer cells. Dr. Bearne’s group will purify the enzyme from rats in order to obtain sufficient quantities for study. Rat AMACR is very similar to human AMACR. They will then develop an assay for detecting AMACR, and screen for compounds that may inhibit or inactivate it. The detection assay will aid future diagnosis of prostate cancer (e.g. from biopsies of prostate tissue). The inhibitors/inactivators will be used to further our understanding of prostate cancer biology, and may provide the platform for new treatments of prostate cancer.