Androgen receptor reverts dexamethasone-induced inhibition of prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration

The aim of the present study was to determine the role of androgen receptor in the effect of dexamethasone on cell proliferation and migration of multiple prostate cancer cells. The prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP, 22Rv1, C4-2 and PC3 were cultured in vitro. For glucocorticoid-induced experiments, the cells were transferred and cultured in RPMI-1640 medium with 10% charcoal-stripped serum from RPMI-1640 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum for at least 24 h. The effects of dexamethasone on the proliferation and migration of various cell lines were analyzed by MTT and migration assays. Dexamethasone exhibited no effect on LNCaP, C4-2 and 22Rv1 cell lines, but suppressed proliferation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR)(+) androgen receptor (AR)(−) PC3 cell line. Dexamethasone suppressed PC3 cell migration, and did not affect migration of PC3-AR9 cells. Dexamethasone positively or negatively regulated proliferation of various prostate cancer cells based on AR and GR expression profiles. The data presented in the present study indicates that androgen receptor reverts the dexamethasone-induced inhibition of prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration.