Natural beta-interferon and androgen receptors in prostatic cancer cells.
Both PC-3 and DU-145 cell lines are androgen-insensitive, but, in our experience, they contain androgen receptors (AR). Treatment of these cells with natural beta-interferon at a concentration of 1,000 IU/ml of culture medium determines an increase of AR (evaluated by a whole-cell assay), statistically significant with respect to control. Androgen unresponsiveness of our cells could be due to an AR level which is lower than that present in hormone-sensitive prostatic cancer cell lines, such as LNCaP cells. For this reason, interferon-promoted AR increase merits further investigation, even if other defects in receptor mechanism, responsible for hormone insensitivity, cannot be excluded.
Sica
G
G
Istituto di Istologia ed Embriologia Generale, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Roma, Italia.
Fabbroni
L
L
Dell'Acqua
G
G
Iacopino
F
F
Marchetti
P
P
Cacciatore
M
M
Pavone-Macaluso
M
M
D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism
D007370:Interferon Type I; D011944:Receptors, Androgen