INVOLVEMENT OF PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN IN THE STIMULATION OF LNCAP CELL GROWTH

Since its identification in 1979, prostatic specific antigen (PSA) has been used extensively as a serum marker for diagnosis and prognosis o f prostate cancer. In addition, PSA is an immunohistochemical marker f or the identification of prostatic tissues and cells in histological s pecimens. PSA is found in normal prostate, benign prostatic hypertroph y (BPH) tissue, in cancer of the prostate, and its metastases as well as in other hormone dependent cancers, such as breast and ovarian carc inoma. However, the importance of PSA as a regulator of cell growth ge nerally has not been appreciated. The role of PSA in the development o f prostate or other hormone-dependent cancers has remained unclear. We therefore examined the role of PSA in the control of cell growth usin g both the PSA positive cell line, LNCaP cells and the PSA negative ce ll line PC-3 and DU145. LNCaP cell growth was stimulated by the condit ioned medium (CM) from LNCaP cells, but not by CM from PC-3 or DU145 c ells. No such stimulation was observed when PC-3 or DU145 cells were e xposed to CM from LNCaP cells nor from CM produced by their own lines. The stimulation of LNCaP cell growth by its own CM could not be attri buted to the high level of insulin-like growth factor binding protein- 2 (IGFBP-2) present in the CM since even higher level of IGFBP-2 was a lso found to be present in CM from both PC-3 and DU145 CMs. High level of PSA and 66 kDa epidermal growth factor (EGF) were present in LNCaP CM as measured by Western blotting. The stimulation of LNCaP cell gro wth by its own CM was eliminated partially by PSA or EGF antibody. Sti mulation of DNA biosynthesis in LNCaP cells by LNCaP CM or pure PSA wa s also observed. These data indicate that PSA and EGF are involved in the growth regulation of PSA positive LNCaP cell line.