DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NONTUMORIGENIC AND TUMORIGENIC EPITHELIAL-CELL LINES FROM RAT DORSAL-LATERAL PROSTATE

We have established two new epithelial cell lines (NRP-152, NRP-154), with markedly different properties, from the dorsal-lateral prostate o f Lobund/Wistar rats treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and testoster one propionate. NRP-152 cells do not form tumors in athymic mice and r etain many of the properties of normal prostatic epithelial cells. The y produce prostatic acid phosphatase, have functional androgen recepto rs, and require the combination of several growth factors in addition to serum for optimal growth. Their growth is stimulated by epidermal g rowth factor, insulin, dexamethasone, cholera toxin, dihydrotestostero ne, and testosterone, and their growth is inhibited by transforming gr owth factor beta s and retinoic acid. These cells also respond to 1,25 -dihydroxyvitamin D-3 with an early growth stimulation followed by gro wth inhibition at later times. In contrast, tumorigenic NRP-154 cells lack detectable androgen receptor mRNA and have less stringent growth factor requirements for optimal growth. Growth of NRP-154 cells is sti mulated by dexamethasone and insulin, inhibited by transforming growth factor beta 1, but not significantly altered by epidermal growth fact or, cholera toxin, dihydrotestosterone, retinoic acid, or 1 alpha,25-d ihydroxyvitamin D-3. Our data suggest that the NRP-152 and NRP-154 cel l lines are suitable systems for analysis of normal prostate growth an d prostatic carcinogenesis.