Effect of steroid hormones and growth factors on the expression of cadherins and prostatic tissue specific proteins in the prostatic carcinoma cell lines.

JD Dulinska, PhD

Cadherins - cell adhesion molecules are transmembrane glycoproteins located in the plasma membrane of cells in vast majority of solid tissues In prostate carcinomas positive correlation between dedifferention of the tumor and the loss of E-cadherin expression was observed. The results of recent studies suggest that the expression of cadherins depend on steroid hormones. We studied the effect of steroid hormones (5-(alpha)-dihydrotestosteron, estradiol) and growth factors (Epidermal Growth Factor, basic Fibroblast Growth Factor) on the expression of cadherins and two most recognized markers of human prostate - Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). Studies were carried out on human prostatic cancer cell lines: PC-3 (androgen-independent) and LNCaP (androgen dependent). Expression of cadherins and prostate tissue specific proteins were studied on protein (Western blott) and mRNA levels (RT-PCR). The expression of E- and N-cadherins was different in studied cell lines. PC-3 cells expressed N-cadherin and did not express E-cadherin while LNCaP line showed opposite expression of these cadherins. We did not notice any effect of factors on the expression of E- and N-cadherins in steroid dependent LNCaP line while those factors strongly affected PAP and PSA expression. So far we were not able to see any effect of used factors on expression of cadherins, PAP and PSA in PC-3 line. GENE EXPRESSION

KEY WORDS: E-cadherin, N-cadherin, .

For more information, contact mblitewk@cyf-kr.edu.pl

Paper presented at the International Symposium on Predictive Oncology and Intervention Strategies; Paris, France; February 9 - 12, 2002; in the section on Risk Assessment, Part 2.

http://www.cancerprev.org/Journal/Issues/26/101/1094/4444