Characterization of prostatic neuroendocrine cell line established from neuroendocrine carcinoma of transgenic mouse allograft model.
BACKGROUND
The role of neuroendocrine (NE) cells in prostate cancer remains unclear. A useful model is necessary to study the biology of NE cells. We herein describe the establishment and characterization of an immortalized cell line from an NE-10 allograft of murine prostatic NE carcinoma.


METHODS
A novel cell line, designated NE-CS, was developed from an NE-10 allograft that was established from the ventral prostate of the LPB-T-antigen (Tag) transgenic mouse, line 10 (12T-10). We investigated the growth, karyotype, electron microscopic findings, expression of Tag and androgen receptor (AR), and tumorigenesis of the cells in athymic mice.


RESULTS
The immortal cell line NE-CS was maintained in vitro for more than 2 years. The NE-CS cells had dendritic-like extensions with dense core granules in the cytoplasm and produced serotonin and somatostatin in conditioned medium. The cells expressed neither Tag nor AR. They showed androgen-independent growth in vitro and a hypotetraploid karyotype similar to the original NE-10 allograft. The NE-CS cells, which were subcutaneously inoculated into athymic mice, formed tumors with the NE phenotype. The tumors exhibited accelerated growth compared to the original NE-10 allograft.


CONCLUSIONS
The established cell line has characteristics of NE differentiation and tumorigenic ability. This cell line may be a promising model to understand the molecular mechanisms associated with the acquisition of hormone refractory prostate cancer.
Uchida
Kohsuke
K
Department of Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan.
Masumori
Naoya
N
Takahashi
Atsushi
A
Itoh
Naoki
N
Tsukamoto
Taiji
T
D000818:Animals; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D023421:Models, Animal; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous