Effect of prostatic neuropeptides on migration of prostate cancer cell lines

Background: A previous study by the same authors demonstrated that among va rious neuropeptides in the prostate, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) increased the invasive capacity of PC- 3 prostate cancer cells through enhancement of cell motility, while substan ce P (SP) inhibited the invasiveness through suppression of motile response . Methods: The effect of 10 kinds of neuropeptides were investigated, includi ng CGRP, GRP, SP, neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide ( VIP), calcitonin (CT), leucine-enkephalin (L-ENK), methionine-enkephalin (M -ENK), glucagon and parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rP), on the in vasion of DU-145 prostate cancer cells through a reconstituted basement mem brane (Matrigel) and the haptotactic migration of DU-145, TSU-pr1 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells using a Transwell cell culture chamber assay. Results: It was found that GRP, CGRP and PTH-rP increased the invasive capa city of tumor cells. In contrast, SP, VIP, CT, L-ENK, M-ENK, NPY and glucag on had no significant effect. These three neuropeptides also increased the haptotactic migration of tumor cells to fibronectin. In addition VIP, CGRP and GRP increased the haptotactic migration of LNCaP prostate cancer cells and GRP and PTH-rP increased the migration of TSU-pr1 cells. Conclusion: The results indicated that some prostatic neuropeptides increas ed the invasive potential of prostate cancer cells partially through enhanc ement of cell motility.