EFFECTS OF THE CALCIOTROPHIC PEPTIDES CALCITONIN AND PARATHYROID-HORMONE ON PROSTATE-CANCER GROWTH AND CHEMOTAXIS

BACKGROUND. The most common site of metastases in prostate cancer is t he skeleton and occurs in 70-80% of patients with prostate carcinoma. Calciotrophic peptides are important in the growth and development of normal bone matrix. METHODS. Three human prostate carcinoma cells line s, DU-145, PC-3, and LNCaP, were exposed to varying concentrations of parathyroid hormone (PTH) or calcitonin (CT). Cell proliferation and c hemotaxis were assessed. RESULTS. Proliferation increased in LNCaP cel ls in a dose-dependent manner following treatment with PTH. Proliferat ion was not altered in PC-3 cells in response to PTH. Proliferation wa s decreased in DU-145 and PC-3 cells and increased in LNCaP cells afte r treatment with CT. Cell chemotaxis was increased in the presence of PTH in DU-145 and PC-3 cells compared to vehicle-treated controls. CON CLUSIONS. The combined proliferation and chemotaxis data suggest that PTH has a dual role in prostate carcinoma resulting in an increase in the number and migration of selected prostate cancer cells. With CT, c hemotaxis was unchanged in the DU-145 and PC-3 cells and significantly elevated in the LNCaP cell line. The calciotrophic hormones, PTH and CT, may play an integral role in the regulation of prostate cell growt h and metastases. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.