Three-dimensional cellular spheroid formation provides human prostate tumor cells with tissue-like features.
BACKGROUND
Alterations in the cellular biological responses were examined in a series of LNCaP human prostate tumor cells growing under different conditions.


METHODS
LNCaP cells were grown in two-dimensional monolayer cultures, three-dimensional spheroids, or as solid tumors in immune-deprived mice.


RESULTS
As compared with the growth in the monolayers, cell growth in the spheroids was reduced, while VEGF production was increased. Immunohistochemical analysis of the spheroids revealed that cells showing Ki-67 up-regulation were localized in the peripheral layer, and that the central core was necrotic. The gene expression profile in the solid tumor tissue was obviously different from that in the monolayers; however, it was similar to that in the spheroids. The prostate-specific antigen levels in the culture supernatants of spheroids increased with time and decreased with anticancer agent treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Spheroid formation from human prostate tumor cells exhibits tissue-like features.
Takagi
Akimitsu
A
Department of Pathologic Oncology, Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan. akimitsu-takagi@yakult.co.jp
Watanabe
Masatoshi
M
Ishii
Yasuhisa
Y
Morita
Joji
J
Hirokawa
Yoshifumi
Y
Matsuzaki
Takeshi
T
Shiraishi
Taizo
T
D000818:Animals; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis
D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D002166:Camptothecin