BIOENERGETICS OF RAT PROSTATE-CANCER CELL-MIGRATION

BACKGROUND. increased cell motility and increased glycolysis are two w ell-known hallmarks of cancer. We undertook these studies to determine whether increased glycolysis is required for prostate cancer cell loc omotion. METHODS. We studied the highly metastatic MatLu cell line, wh ich is a variant of the Dunning R-3327 rat prostate adenocarcinoma mod el. Using videomicroscopy and computer image analysis, we compared the speed of migration of cells grown in serum-free medium in either the presence or absence of glucose. RESULTS. We found that cells grown in glucose-free, conditioned medium maintained speeds of migration and in tracellular ATP levels for 24 hr which were equivalent to those of cel ls grown in conditioned medium containing glucose. in contrast, migrat ion was significantly inhibited by growth in glucose-free, uncondition ed medium. We also tested the effect of antimycin A and rotenone, two inhibitors of mitochondrial electron transport, on cell migration and ATP levels. Antimycin A had no significant effect on either feature, w hile rotenone slightly inhibited cell migration without affecting ATP levels. CONCLUSIONS. 1) Glycolysis is not necessary for rat prostate c ancer cell locomotion in the presence of conditioned medium. 2) MatLu cells grown in the absence of both serum and conditioned medium requir e glucose to maintain cellular ATP levels and cell migration. 3) MatLu cells in conditioned medium adapt to inhibition of glycolysis or mito chondrial respiration by increasing the activity of the uninhibited pa thway. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.