VCaP Cell Line

The VCaP cell line, derived from a vertebral metastasis of a 57-year-old Caucasian male with prostate cancer, offers valuable insights into cell signaling and molecular biology in the context of prostate cancer. These epithelial-like cells are grown as adherent monolayers in vitro, providing a controlled experimental system for studying various aspects of prostate cancer biology. The VCaP cell line expresses androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA), both of which are characteristic markers for prostate cancer.

Notably, VCaP cells express both the wild-type AR and a gene fusion between AR and the ERG transcription factor. This gene fusion event has been implicated in prostate cancer progression and provides an opportunity to investigate the molecular mechanisms associated with AR signaling and its impact on tumor development and progression. VCaP cells have demonstrated susceptibility to enzalutamide, a potent anti-androgen therapy used in the treatment of prostate cancer. This feature makes the VCaP cell line particularly valuable for efficacy studies of enzalutamide or related compounds on cell growth, viability, and signaling pathways associated with AR inhibition.

The VCaP cell line can serve as a positive control for AR translocation assays, enabling researchers to assess the cellular localization and activation of the AR protein in response to various stimuli or drug treatments. This feature provides insight into the dynamic nature of AR signaling and its role in prostate cancer progression.

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