Proteomic analysis of androgen-independent growth in low and high passage human LNCaP prostatic adenocarcinoma cells.

The present study compared the proteomic characteristics of a low passage number (L-33) and high passage number (H-81) LNCaP cell clone. Marked differences in protein expression were noted in the response of L-33 and H-81 cells to androgens. To investigate if regulation of these proteins was androgen-dependent, expression of the androgen receptor was silenced via small interfering RNA. Consistent with the proteomic data, abrogation of androgen receptor production in H-81 cells resulted in the reversed expression level into L-33 cells compared with non-treated H-81 LNCaP cells. The results clarify the progression into an androgen-independent phenotype.