Hung-Ming Lam

About Hung-Ming Lam

GPR30 as a potential therapeutic target for castration-resistant prostate cancer

The protein G-protein coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) regulates several signaling pathways governing cell growth, migration etc. In previous studies, Dr. Hung-Ming Lam has shown that the chemical compound G1 tightly binds GPR30 in highly selective manner and this G1-GPR30 complex inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells.

In this study, Dr. Lam proposes to evaluate the efficacy of GPR30 inhibition by G1 for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).Previous studies have shown that the expression of GPCR in cells shows an inverse correlation with the levels of androgens. Androgens are the male hormones that fuel prostate cancer. Therefore, as the levels of androgens in tumors decline upon Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT), the levels of GPR30 increase. Thus in CRPC when androgen levels are very low, GPR30 levels are very high and this setting provides the best opportunity to employ the G1-GPR30 prostate cancer inhibitory action.

The recently FDA-approved medication Abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) inhibits androgen synthesis. Dr. Lam proposes to evaluate combinatorial therapy with G1 and Abiraterone to treat prostate cancer in a two-pronged fashion: 1) delaying cancer relapse and the emergence of metastatic CRPC and, 2) extending the time to chemotherapy in patients with advanced cancer. Dr. Lam also aims to determine the levels of GPR30 before and after ADT in human specimens with bone and lymph node metastases. Her studies will help define a group of patients most suitable for GPR30-targeted therapy.