Scatter factor influences the formation of prostate epithelial cell colonies on bone marrow stroma in vitro

Prostate cancer metastases form selectively in the bone marrow. Previously we demonstrated motility was important for the formation of primary prostat ic epithelial cell colonies in bone marrow stroma (BMS) co-culture. In this study we looked at the influence of motility factors on the colony formati on of epithelial cells derived from benign (bPEC) or malignant (mPEC) prost ate tissue. After 7 days co-culture we found that anti-scatter factor consi stently inhibited prostate epithelial cell colony formation on BMS (7/7 mPE C and 4/7 bPEC samples showed significant inhibition). Antibodies against b FGF and 5T4 did not significantly affect colony formation. Addition of fibr oblast conditioned media (derived from benign prostates) to co-cultures sti mulated the colony formation of bPEC (170%) and mPEC (252%). This stimulati on was eliminated by depletion of SF from the conditioned media. Immunohist ochemical staining found c-Met expression in 5/6 bPEC cultures and 7/9 mPEC cultures. When grown in BMS co-culture expression of c-Met was positive in 3/6 bPEC and 2/7 mPEC samples. In conclusion, scatter factor influences th e in vitro formation of prostate epithelial cell colonies on BMS co-culture .