WISH-PC2: A unique xenograft model of human prostatic small cell carcinoma

Prostatic small cell carcinoma is an aggressive subtype of prostate cancer that usually appears as a progression of the original adenocarcinoma, We de scribe here the WISH-PC2, a novel neuroendocrine xenograft of small cell ca rcinoma of the prostate. This xenograft was established from a poorly diffe rentiated prostate adenocarcinoma and is serially transplanted in immune-co mpromised mice where it grows within the prostate, Liver, and bone, inducin g osteolytic lesions with foci of osteoblastic activity. It secretes to the mouse Chromogranin A and expresses prostate plasma carcinoma tumor antigen -1, six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate, and members of th e Erb-B receptor family. It does not express prostate-specific antigen, pro state stem cell antigen, prostate-specific membrane antigen, and androgen r eceptor, and it grows independently of androgen. Altogether, WISH-PC2 provi des an unlimited source in which to study the involvement of neuroendocrine cells in the progression of prostatic adenocarcinoma and can serve as a no vel model for the testing of new therapeutic strategies for prostatic small cell carcinoma.