Abstract A48: Characterization of human prostate cancer cell line V-CaP by CD cell surface molecules.
Authors: Ruocco Anna , Vecchio Luigi Del , Salvatore Francesco 
Published: May 2013

Background: Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. Progression of CaP from primary to metastatic disease is associated with several molecular and genetic changes that can affect the expression of specific tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) or receptors on the cells surface. In addition, recent reports about cancer stem cells have prompted questions regarding the involvement of normal stem/progenitor cells in prostate tumor biology, their potential contribution to the tumor itself and whether they are the cause of tumor initiation and progression. Although still controversial, the cancer stem cell is likely to be the most crucial target in the treatment of prostate cancer, and a thorough understanding of its biology, particularly of how the cancer stem cell differs from the normal stem cell, might allow it to be targeted selectively and eliminated, thus improving therapeutic outcome.

Object: We characterized a prostate cancer cell line derived from a vertebral metastatic lesion, Vertebral-Cancer of the Prostate (V-CaP) by using flow cytometry and a panel of 242 purified monoclonal antibodies (Lyoplate, BD, San Diego, CA). The aim of this study is to characterize the immunophenotype of this cell line and investigate the presence of putative prostate cancer stem cells.

Methods: V-CaP cells were cultured in appropriate media recommended by suppliers. Single aliquots of cultured cells were stained by an indirect immunofluorescence method for each single antibody. 50,000 events were collected for each sample. All data acquisition and analysis were performed on Beckman Coulter FC500 cytometer.

Results: V-CaP cell line shows a variable positivity for 51 of totally cluster differentiation molecules (CDs) tested. In particular V-CaP cells are positive (≥ 90%) for CD9, CD24, CD29, CD44, CD46, CD47, CD49a, CD49b, CD49c, CD49f, CD57, CD58, CD59, CD71, CD81, CD95, CD98, CD99, CD147, CD151, CD321 and CD326. V-CaP positivity for CD57 is of a great interest. It is well known that CD57 is a luminal cell marker found in majority of prostate cancer cells in primary tumors and a marker of well-differentiated cancer but V-Cap cell line was established from bone metastasis that represents poorly differentiated cell type. The CD26, CD44, CD55, CD63, CD97, CD138,CD146, CD164, CD201,CD221 positivity was in the 50-90% range and reactivity for CD49e, CD54, CD56, CD105, CD142, CD165, CD166, CD340, EGF-R (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor), Hem Progenitor Cell and HLA A,B,C was comprised between 10-50%. Finally, we found a small proportion of cells (&lt; 10%) reactive for CD10, CD99R, CD100, CD171, CD227, CD243, SSEA-4 and MIC A/B.

Conclusions: These results indicate that V-CaP cell line could be a useful addition to the existing models of prostate cancer, and enable more advanced study of the mechanisms of prostate cancer progression and metastasis, in particular for identification of cell surface pattern of putative prostate cancer stem cell.

Citation Format: Anna Ruocco, Luigi Del Vecchio, Francesco Salvatore. Characterization of human prostate cancer cell line V-CaP by CD cell surface molecules [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research; 2012 Feb 6-9; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(4 Suppl):Abstract nr A48.