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Effect of leuprorelin acetate on cell growth and prostate-specific antigen gene expression in human prostatic cancer
G Sica1, F Iacopino, D Settesoldi
1Istituto di Istologia ed Embriologia, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Roma, Italia. ibiis@rm.unicatt.it
Objectives:
We investigated modulation of cell growth and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gene expression in prostatic cancer cells by the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog (LH-RHa), leuprorelin acetate, alone or combined with other agents.
Methods:
The effect of the analog on proliferation of both androgen-sensitive and -insensitive prostate cancer cells, maintained in different culture conditions, was evaluated by cell counts at various intervals of time. Basal expression of PSA gene and its variations were determined by a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay.
Results:
LH-RHa is ineffective in regulating cell growth, when used alone in both hormone-sensitive and -insensitive cell lines. Nevertheless, it counteracts the stimulatory action of androgens on proliferation of LNCaP cells, which respond to low concentrations of dihydrotestosterone. Moreover, LH-RHa has an inhibitory effect on the mitogenic action of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in androgen-unresponsive PC-3 cells. The analog reduces PSA gene expression in both hormone-sensitive and -insensitive cells. Interestingly, it counteracts the gene expression induced by androgens in LNCaP cells and by EGF in PC-3 cells.
Conclusions:
These data show that LH-RHa may behave like a negative growth factor, which directly regulates cell growth and PSA gene expression. Moreover, our findings support the idea that growth factors may interfere with the androgen signalling pathway.