Culture of prostate epithelial cells of the rhesus monkey on extracellularmatrix substrate: influence of steroids and insulin-like growth factors

Rhesus monkey prostate epithelial cells from the cranial lobe were isolated and cultured in flasks coated either with collagen IV or laminin. The effe cts of stromal cell medium, androgens and growth factors on cell number, th ymidine incorporation and secretory activity were assessed. The results indicate that dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and androstenedione hav e stimulatory influences on cell proliferation and secretion in coated flas ks. DHT was more effective in increasing cell number but the induction of s ecretory activity was similar with both steroids. The combination of IGF-I and -II resulted in inducing better cell proliferation and secretory activi ty than the individual IGFs but, of the two IGFs, IGF-I was more effective than IGF-II. DHT with IGFs was more potent in inducing proliferation, diffe rentiation and secretion than androstenedione. Even in the absence of stero ids or growth factors, colony formation and confluence occurred in coated f lasks but cell differentiation and secretion only to a limited extent. In conclusion, we were able to establish an in vitro primary culture of pro state epithelial cells from rhesus monkey using extracellular matrix protei ns, steroids and growth factors as additional supplements. This culture sys tem may be useful to study prostate cell physiology and to identify drugs t hat can inhibit cell proliferation.