Androgen and glucocorticoid receptors in the Pollard prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines.

Both the androgen and glucocorticoid receptors of the Pollard prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines (PA-II and PA-III) have been examined and characterized. Both cell lines contains distinct binding sites for 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and dexamethasone (DM). The specific binding of the ligands to the whole cell was saturable, and Scatchard analysis showed a single class of high-affinity and low-capacity sites. (3H)-DHT was bound to a cytosolic macromolecule which sedimented at 7S after sucrose density gradient centrifugation in low salt buffer, and was completely displaced by radioinert DHT. By means of competition studies, the androgen receptor could be distinguished from that for the glucocorticoids. The DNA and protein synthesis of both tumor lines were significantly enhanced after exposure to DHT.