AXC rat prostatic adenocarcinoma: characterization of cells in culture.

We have described the establishment of AXC rat prostatic cancer cells in continuous culture. When injected into isogeneic male rats, these cells produce prostatic adenocarcinomas. The response of androgen and prolactin receptors and ODC in LSC-AXC prostatic cancer cells and tumors to androgen ablation is indistinguishable from that of ventral prostate. In addition, LSC-AXC prostatic tumors retain levels of secretory acid phosphatase comparable to those of ventral prostate of aged AXC rats. These data demonstrate that LSC-AXC prostatic cancer cells and tumors retain a high degree of differentiation, androgen regulated function. The LSC-AXC prostatic cancer cells and tumors appear to represent a unique model system for combined in vivo and in vitro studies of androgen regulation of prostate cancer cell function.