Differential expression of cell surface molecules in prostate cancer cells.

The expression of 119 cell surface molecules was catalogued for three prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP, PC3, and DU145, all of which were established from metastases. Many of these molecules are common to all three cell lines, whereas some are differentially expressed. More prostate basal epithelial cell-specific than luminal epithelial cell-specific molecules are detected, especially in DU145 and PC3 cells. The cancer cells also express molecules that are not normally associated with prostate epithelial cells. As a population, expression of these molecules appears to be heterogeneous. This heterogeneity may be an inherent property of the population.