THE EFFECT OF CASTANOSPERMINE ON THE METASTATIC PROPERTIES OF PROSTATE-CANCER CELLS

Background; Most deaths from prostate cancer result fr om the metastat ic spread of the disease. Castanospermine has been shown to inhibit tu mor growth and metastasis in mouse and mt models. We hypothesized that castanospermine might inhibit metastasis in the Dunning model of rat prostate adenocarcinoma by interfering with the metastatic properties of tumor cells. Materials and Methods: We examined the cytotoxicity of castanospermine toward the metastatic MAT-LyLu and nonmetastatic AT. I cell lines and its effects on cell motility and adhesion to endothel ial cells. We assessed castanospermine's effects on in vivo metastasis in Copenhagen rats. Results: Castanospermine was not cytotoxic toward the MAT-LyLu and AT. 1 cell lines at concentrations through 10 mu g/m L, nor did it significantly affect cell motility, adhesion to endothel ial cells, or in vivo metastasis. Conclusions: Within the Dunning mode l, castanospermine did not appear to significantly affect cell charact eristics related to metastatic potential.