prostate-report.org

Protein that underpins prostate cancer cells to cause disease in bones unveiled

Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, have gained fresh insights into the mechanisms by which prostate cancer cells spread to the bones.The researchers point out that death mainly occurs as a result of the tumour spreading to the bones, where it is known as an osteoblastic bone metastasis.

According to them, treatments that deprive the tumour of male sex hormones (androgens) are usually effective, but only briefly as the tumours typically develop the ability to grow in the absence of androgens and the diseases progresses.

The androgen receptor, negative prostate cancer cell lines generated by the researchers grew when transplanted into immunocompromised mice and generated osteoblastic bone metastases.

The researchers found a protein known as FGF9 that expressed at higher levels in these cells lines than in other bone-derived prostate cancer cells, and induced bone formation in an in vitro organ culture assay.

They also observed that blocking FGF9 reduced the osteoblastic bone metastases in mice transplanted with the cell lines.