Changes of androgen receptor and insulin-like growth factor-1 in LNCaP prostate cancer cells treated with sex hormones and flutamide.

Changes of androgen receptor (AR) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were investigated in LNCaP cells treated with 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estrone and flutamide. Real-time PCR, immunocytochemistry and western blotting were used to detect the expression of AR and IGF-1 in the presence or absence of various kinase inhibitors. Low concentrations of DHT, estrone and flutamide increased the expression of AR and IGF-1, especially estrone, with concentration and time dependence. With DHT and flutamide, there was a significant alteration in AR expression (p<0.001). The results indicated expression of AR and IGF-1 genes to be influenced by DHT, estrone and flutamide in LNCaP cells, regulated by multiple signal pathways.