Objective:

To analyze in prostate tumor cells the effects caused by the secretome of bone cells on proliferation and on intracellular signaling pathways related to the progression of prostate cancer.

Materials and methods:

The effects of secreted factors present in conditioned media of pre-osteoblasts MC3T3-E1 and osteocytes MLO-Y4 on the proliferation of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma cells PC-3 were characterized using trypan blue staining. The effects of media conditioned by MC3T3-E1 and MLO-Y4 cells on intracellular signaling molecules involved in the tumor progression of prostate adenocarcinoma cells PC-3 were observed by fluorescence techniques in living cells. The accumulation of intracellular calcium was studied using the fluorescent calcium indicator Fluo-4AM and the generation of cyclic AMP, and ERK 1/2 activation by Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) using the EPAC and ERK-NES biosensors, respectively.

Results:

The stimulation of PC-3 cells with conditioned media of pre-osteoblasts MC3T3-E1 and osteocytes MLO-Y4 induced an increase in PC-3 adenocarcinoma cell proliferation. Media conditioned by bone cells also caused a transient increase in intracellular calcium accumulation and generation of cyclic AMP and increased ERK 1/2 activation.

Conclusions:

Bone cells secrete proliferation-activating factors and signaling pathways that favor the tumor progression of prostate cancer cells, suggesting that cross-communication between these cell types may favor the development of metastatic niches of prostate cancer in the bone.

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