The expression of mRNA for glucocorticoid receptor gene and functional glucocorticoid receptors detected in PA-III rat prostate adenocarcinoma cells.

The metastatic capacity of PA-III rat prostate adenocarcinoma cells has been well documented, although little is known about the biological and biochemical characteristics of PA-III cells. This study characterizes PA-III cells with regard to the presence or absence of glucocorticoid and androgen receptors. Cytosols of PA-III cells possessed [3H]-dexamethasone binding sites with association constant (Ka) 0.46 +/- 0.17 x 10(9) M-1 and number 341 +/- 175 fmols/mg protein. Displacement of [3H]-dexamethasone binding from PA-III cytosols achieved by increasing doses of unlabelled dexamethasone, corticosterone, cortisol, progesterone, deoxycorticosterone and aldosterone documented glucocorticoid binding specificity. Northern and dot blot analyses detected the expression of mRNA for glucocorticoid receptor using a 750 bp cDNA probe of the glucocorticoid receptor gene. Twenty-four hours incubation of PA-III cells with increasing amounts of dexamethasone resulted in a remarkable inhibition of the growth of PA-III cells. Binding studies with [3H]-R1881 as well as dot blot and Northern blot analyses using a 500 bp cDNA probe of androgen receptor gene could not detect the presence of androgen receptors in PA-III cells. The present study documented functional glucocorticoid receptors in the androgen-independent PA-III rat prostate adenocarcinoma cells. These results suggest that glucocorticoids may regulate important aspects of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells growth and functions.