Cell-cell adhesion molecules and signaling intermediates and their role in the invasive potential of prostate cancer cells.

PURPOSE: The highly variable natural history of prostate carcinoma may be reflected in heterogeneity of invasive potential between tumors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have examined two prostate cancer cell lines of low invasive potential (CAHPV10 and PZHPV7) and three cell lines of high invasive potential (DU-145, PC-3, LNCapFGC), to determine whether specific adhesion molecule profiles correlated with their invasive behavior.

RESULTS: Using an in vitro invasion assay, we demonstrated that DU-145, LNCapFGC and PC-3 cells were highly invasive compared with CA-HPV-10 and PZ-HPV-7 cells. LNCapFGC cells expressed high levels of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta- and gamma-catenin, desmoglein, desmoplakin and GSK3beta using immunoblotting. This was, in general, comparable to immunohistochemical staining. PC-3 cells had no E-cadherin or alpha-catenin, but expressed a high level of the HGF/SF receptor c-Met. In contrast, DU-145 cells were found to express E-cadherin and low levels for all other protein molecules, except c-Met. The DU-145 cell line also lacked alpha-catenin expression. In CA-HPV-10 and PZ-HPV-7 cells, there was no detection of APC, PECAM-1, P-cadherin or Wnt-1. DU-145, LNCapFGC and PC-3 cells formed cell-cell aggregates, which were reduced by inclusion of anti-E-cadherin antibody and the motogen HGF/SF.

CONCLUSION: These results show that prostate cancer cells exhibit a diverse expression of cell-cell adhesion molecules and their signaling intermediates. The expression of these adhesion molecules bears an important relationship with the invasive phenotype of these cells.