Gpnmb/Osteoactivin As A Malignancy Biomarker In An Experimental Model Of Human Prostate Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: The goal is to analyze the role of Osteactivin (OA) in human prostate adenocarcinoma (CaP) cell lines, DU145 and PC3. OA plays a role in proliferation, adhesion, differentiation and protein synthesis in normal and malignant cells. Further, the OA expression is specific of activated mature osteoblasts.METHODS: DU145 and PC3 were maintained under recommended conditions and treated, respectively, with 50 ng/mL for 8 days and with 100 ng/mL for 15 days of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). The NGF-induced reduction of invasive capacity was assessed by the BioCoat Matrigel Invasion Chambers technique. The gene expression was evaluated by Q-RT-PCR, while the protein expression by indirect immunofluorescence and by western blot.RESULTS: NGF treatment of DU145 and PC3 induced a reduction of 95% and 78% of the invasive capacity. NGF treatment decreased OA expression at both mRNA and protein levels. The OA was secreted into the culture medium.CONCLUSION: DU145 and PC3 cells expressed OA, that is strongly reduced by NGF treatment. Since it is known that OA is involved in the acquisition of the cell invasive capability, it could thus be hypothesized that OA could be a factor that contributes to the acquisition of invasive properties of PCa and could be proposed as a biomarker of cell tendency to metastatization.