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 prostatic epithelial cell colonies in bone marrow stroma (BMS) co-culture. In this study we looked at the influence of motility factors on the colony formation of epithelial cells derived from benign (bPEC) or malignant (mPEC) prostate tissue. After 7 days co-culture we found that anti-scatter factor consistently inhibited prostate epithelial cell colony formation on BMS (7/7 mPEC and 4/7 bPEC samples showed significant inhibition). Antibodies against bFGF and 5T4 did not significantly affect colony formation. Addition of fibroblast conditioned media (derived from benign prostates) to co-cultures stimulated the colony formation of bPEC (170%) and mPEC (252%). This stimulation was eliminated by depletion of SF from the conditioned media. Immunohistochemical 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 the in vitro formation of prostate epithelial cell colonies on BMS co-culture.