title: Androgen receptor signaling and vitamin D receptor action in prostate cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  1,25(OH)2D3 inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells; previous reports suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3 actions in LNCaP prostate cancer cells are androgen dependent. This is due in part to the observation that the androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, Casodex, modestly inhibits LNCaP cell growth, but reduces the greater growth inhibition induced by 1,25(OH)2D3 to the level of Casodex alone. Because androgen ablation therapy is used for metastatic prostate cancer, we sought to better characterize this androgen dependence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have assessed the requirement for endogenous androgens in 1,25(OH)2D3 mediated growth inhibition of AR+ prostate cancer cell lines. We have also sought the mechanism for anti-androgen mediated reversal of 1,25(OH)2D3 dependent growth inhibition in LNCaP cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although 1,25(OH)2D3 does not inhibit the growth of LNCaP cells grown in medium lacking androgens, we find that growth of androgen independent derivatives of LNCaP cells is inhibited by 1,25(OH)2D3. Despite this independence, Casodex treatment reduced the response of these cells to 1,25(OH)2D3 suggesting a unique function for Casodex-bound AR. Because Casodex does not directly inhibit the transcriptional activity of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) we sought a common primary target of VDR and AR action whose VDR dependent transcription could be repressed by Casodex. We report that AS3 (APRIN), a novel gene required for androgen dependent growth arrest, is a primary target for 1,25(OH)2D3 and androgens. Moreover, Casodex reduces induction of AS3 by 1,25(OH)2D3 suggesting that it is a candidate for the Casodex effect. Analysis of functional interactions between AR and VDR in other AR containing prostate cancer cells lines (PC-3 AR, LAPC-4, and 22Rv1) revealed that Casodex reversal was unique to LNCaP derived cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-androgen mediated reversal of 1,25(OH)2D3 dependent growth inhibition is limited to LNCaP derived prostate cancer cell lines. Moreover, the growth of androgen independent derivatives of LNCaP cells in medium depleted of androgens is strongly inhibited by 1,25D. Therefore, most forms of androgen ablation should not eliminate the utility of VDR agonist treatment in most prostate cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas77030, USA.
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: Irina U
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Agoulnik
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Weigel
mesh_terms: D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000813:Anilides / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009570:Nitriles; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism*; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014105:Tosyl Compounds; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000813:Anilides; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009570:Nitriles; C118660:PDS5B protein, human; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D014105:Tosyl Compounds; D014157:Transcription Factors; C053541:bicalutamide; D002117:Calcitriol