[Identification of TGF-beta/Smads pathway in human prostate cancer cell lines and its significance].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the TGF-beta/Smads signal pathway in different human prostate cancer cell lines, and to explore the role of the TGF-beta/Smads pathway in the progression and metastasis of prostate cancer and its possible mechanisms.


METHODS
We detected the expressions of the key proteins involved in the TGF-beta/Smads pathway, TbetaR II, Smad2/3, p-Smad2 and Smad4, in prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP, PC-3, DU145, IF11 and IA8 with different metastatic potentials by Western blotting.


RESULTS
TbetaR II was expressed highly in PC-3, DU145, IF11 and IA8, but extremely lowly in LNCaP. Smad2/3 was highly expressed in all the cell lines with different intensity, while p-Smad2 only in PC-3 and DU145. The expression of Smad4 was detected in LNCaP, PC-3 and DU145, but not in IF11 and IA8.


CONCLUSIONS
The status of the TGF-beta/Smads pathway differs in the cell lines with different metastatic potentials, only active in PC-3 and DU145. The TGF-beta/Smads pathway may be involved in the invasion and metastasis of prostate cancer through altering the expressions of the key proteins in it.
Wu
Kai-jie
KJ
Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China. yidaiwujin@126.com
Zhu
Guang-feng
GF
Zhang
Dong
D
Zeng
Jin
J
Wang
Xin-yang
XY
Xue
Yan
Y
Zhang
Lin-lin
LL
He
Da-lin
DL
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
C497782:SMAD2 protein, human; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta