Natural beta-interferon and androgen receptors in prostatic cancer cells

Both PC-3 and DU-145 cell lines are androgen-insensitive, but, in our experience, they contain androgen receptors (AR). Treatment of these cells with natural beta-interferon at a concentration of 1,000 IU/ml of culture medium determines an increase of AR (evaluated by a whole-cell assay), statistically significant with respect to control. Androgen unresponsiveness of our cells could be due to an AR level which is lower than that present in hormone-sensitive prostatic cancer cell lines, such as LNCaP cells. For this reason, interferon-promoted AR increase merits further investigation, even if other defects in receptor mechanism, responsible for hormone insensitivity, cannot be excluded.