Enzalutamide

Androgen receptors are proteins that are responsible for the cellular response to testosterone, notably in the development and maintenance of male sexual organs.² They are expressed by variety of cells throughout the body, including cells in the prostate.³

When testosterone binds to androgen receptors, two androgen receptors come together to form an active dimer.⁴ An active dimer then seeks out specific stretches of DNA known as androgen-responsive genes.⁵

Some of these androgen-responsive genes are involved in cell growth⁶, and androgen receptors can activate these genes by recruiting co-activators.⁷ This way, testosterone is able to promote the survival and growth of cells that express androgen receptors.

Prostate cancer cells commonly depend on this process to promote their own growth.³ Enzalutamide is a drug that binds to androgen receptors and disables them, so that androgen receptors cannot bind to DNA and recruit co-activators.⁸ Without growth gene activation via androgen receptor signaling, prostate cancer growth is halted.