title: Androgen receptors and hormone sensitivity of a human prostatic cancer cell line (PC-3) are modulated by natural beta-interferon.
abstract: Androgen receptors are expressed at a low level in the cell line PC-3, which does not respond to either androgens or antiandrogens. If these cells are exposed to natural beta-interferon (beta-IFN) a reduction in cell growth and an increase in androgen receptors, evaluated by both biochemical and immunocytochemical techniques, occur. This increase seems not to be related to a selective block of PC-3 in any phase of the cell cycle. Pretreatment with beta-IFN determines in PC-3 cells a partial responsiveness to the androgen dihydrotestosterone as reflected by the increase in cell number. Moreover, the antiandrogen hydroxyflutamide shows agonistic properties by increasing the cell number of PC-3 cells pre-exposed to beta-IFN. When the antiandrogen is tested in combination with interferon, it produces a reduction in the beta-IFN-induced inhibition of cell growth. It is not known whether these unexpected effects are due to the increase in androgen receptors or to other mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Istologia ed Embriologia Generale, Facoltà di Medicina, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sica
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dell'Acqua
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iacopino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fattorossi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: van der Kwast
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavone-Macaluso
mesh_terms: D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005485:Flutamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000728:Androgens; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; C014290:hydroxyflutamide; D005485:Flutamide; D016899:Interferon-beta