Androgens are not a direct requirement for the proliferation of human prostatic epithelium in vitro

• Published in: International journal of cancer 1997-12, Vol.73 (6), p.910-916
• Main Authors: Berthon, Philippe, Waller, Andrew S., Villette, Jean‐Marie, Loridon, Ludovic, Cussenot, Olivier, Maitland, Norman J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid Phosphatase - metabolism; Androgens - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Division - drug effects; Cell Line; Cells, Cultured; Dihydrotestosterone - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Synergism; Epithelial Cells - cytology; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - metabolism; ErbB Receptors - metabolism; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; General aspects (metabolism, cell proliferation, established cell line...); Humans; Immunoblotting; Male; Medical sciences; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Prostate - cytology; Prostate - drug effects; Prostate - metabolism; Prostate-Specific Antigen - metabolism; Prostatic Neoplasms - metabolism; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Receptors, Androgen - metabolism; Tumor cell; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tumors; Tumors of the urinary system; Urinary tract. Prostate gland
• ISSN: 0020-7136; 1097-0215
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0215(19971210)73:6<910::AID-IJC25>3.0.CO;2-6

The androgen receptor pathway is known to be a key regulator of growth in the normal and pathological prostate. However, the precise mechanisms of this signaling pathway with respect to the different cellular compartments of the prostate remain largely unknown. We have used a primary culture system to grow human prostatic epithelial cells of normal, benign, tumor and metastatic origin, as well as immortalized human prostatic epithelial cell lines, to demonstrate the absence of a direct or indirect effect of androgens on cellular proliferation in vitro. In parallel to this observed androgen independence for growth, all cell systems lost significant expression of androgen receptor, prostate‐specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase. Since the androgen receptor is expressed in the epithelium in situ, our results suggest that the androgen effect on epithelial cells may be one of prostatic differentiation rather than proliferation, and that the androgen receptor/growth factor pathway acts through mesenchymal‐epithelial interactions. Int. J. Cancer 73:910–916, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.