REGULATION OF GROWTH AND PROSTATIC MARKER EXPRESSION BY ACTIVIN-A IN AN ANDROGEN-SENSITIVE PROSTATE-CANCER CELL-LINE LNCAP

Activin A, a homodimer of the beta A subunit of inhibin, is a member o f the TGF-beta family. It is a multifunctional molecule regulating the growth, differentiation, and survival of a variety of cells. Treatmen t with activin A to an androgen-sensitive human prostatic cancer cell line LNCaP resulted in growth and morphological change and those were accompanied by up-regulation of prostatic differentiation markers pros tate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). In a ddition, the expression of androgen receptor was also enhanced by acti vin treatment. These results suggest that activin has significant infl uence on LNCaP cells. (C) 1997 Academic Press.