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. 2025 Jul 11;16(10):3261-3269.
doi: 10.7150/jca.112954. eCollection 2025.

Neuregulin-1 correlates to early castration-resistant prostate cancer after prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy

Siyu Li  1 , Wenyang Zhao  1 , Dan Wang  1 , Lei Chen  1 , Yigeng Feng  1 , Peng Sun  1
Affiliations

Neuregulin-1 correlates to early castration-resistant prostate cancer after prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy

Siyu Li et al. J Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) levels were elevated in prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). However, it remains unclear whether NRG1 levels could predict castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) progression. Methods: Prostate cancer patients were divided into CRPC and NCRPC (non-CRPC) groups. Baseline clinicopathological characteristics and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were compared among two groups. Subsequently, the levels of NRG1 in blood and tumor tissue were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting, and qPCR. The predictive value of NRG1 was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Meanwhile, the correlation of NRG1 with Gleason score and PSA levels was analyzed using Spearman analysis. Results: The comparison analysis showed that TNM classification, Gleason scores, and PSA levels were significantly correlated to CRPC. Moreover, the serum NRG1 and the protein and mRNA levels of NRG1 were higher in CRPC patients than in NCRPC patients. ROC analysis unveiled that NRG1 levels in the patients before ADT could predict CRPC progression. Moreover, Spearman analysis also showed that NRG1 was correlated to Gleason scores and PSA levels. Conclusions: Serum NRG1, NRG1 protein, and NRG1 mRNA in tumor tissue from prostate cancer patients before ADT could predict the incidence of CRPC in patients receiving ADT.

Keywords: PSA; androgen deprivation therapy; castration-resistant; prostate cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparisons of serum NRG1 levels (A), NRG1 levels in tumor (B) and relative NRG1 mRNA expressions in tumor (C) between prostate cancer patients got CRPC (n = 85) or NCRPC (n = 152) within 1 year after ADT. p values were calculated from the unpaired t-test with Welch's correction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ROC analysis for the predictive values of serum NRG1 levels, NRG1 levels in tumor and relative NRG1 mRNA expressions in tumor for prostate cancer patients got CRPC within 1 year after ADT.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pearson correlation analysis of serum NRG1 levels with NRG1 levels in tumor (A), serum NRG1 levels with relative NRG1 mRNA expressions in tumor (B) and NRG1 levels in tumor with relative NRG1 mRNA expressions in tumor (C) in prostate cancer patients (n = 237).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Spearman correlation analysis of Gleason scores with serum NRG1 levels (A), NRG1 levels in tumor (B) and relative NRG1 mRNA expressions in tumor (C) in prostate cancer patients (n = 237).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Spearman correlation analysis of serum PSA levels with serum NRG1 levels (A), NRG1 levels in tumor (B) and relative NRG1 mRNA expressions in tumor (C) in prostate cancer patients (n = 237).
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