OBJECTIVETo observe the expression profiles between two metastasis-associated proteins in different prostate cancer cell lines and explore the molecular mechanisms of bone metastatic potentials.

METHODSExpressions of E-cadherin and vimentin in two prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP and IA8) with different metastatic potentials were detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSThere was remarkable difference in the expressions of E-cadherin and vimentin between the highly metastatic cell line and the lowly one. As one of the adhesion associated proteins, E-cadherin was detected with high level of expression in LNCaP cell line, which was well known as low metastatic potential. However, E-cadherin did not expressed in IA8 with high metastatic potential. And as one of the cytoskeleton proteins, vimentin expression was high in IA8, but not in LNCaP.

CONCLUSIONThere is definitely difference in the metastatic phenotypes (E-cadherin and vimentin) among cell lines with different metastatic potentials. The expressions of E-cadherin and vimentin proteins may play important roles in promoting and inhibiting the metastasis of prostate cancer respectively, and may be considered to be valuable in evaluating the malignant degree, predictable metastasis and prognosis of prostate cancers.