Type IV collagenase expression in human prostate carcinoma cell lines with different metastasis potentials

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between type IV collagenase expression and metastatic potential of human prostate carcinoma cells. METHODS: Human prostate carcinoma cell lines (LNCaP and C4-2B) with different metastatic potentials were selected. Using SABC immunocytochemical staining and zymographic analysis, we detected the difference of type IV collagenase expression and activity between the two cell lines. RESULTS: The expression of type IV collagenase (MMP-2, MMP-9) could be detected in both LNCaP and C4-2B, mainly in cytoplasm, much higher in C4-2B than in LNCaP (P < 0.01). The activities of type IV collagenase in the conditioned medium of prostatic carcinoma cell LNCaP was the lowest, and the quantitative estimation values of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were 0.89 +/- 0.02 and 0.86 +/- 0.01, respectively. However, the quantitative estimation values of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the conditioned medium of C4-2B were 96.32 +/- 4.36 and 33.89 +/- 1.84, respectively. Compared with LNCaP, the activity of type IV collagenase in C4-2B was much higher (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Compared with LNCaP, the higher production capability of type IV collagenase in C4-2B may possibly contribute to its invasive and metastatic potentials. The expression of type IV collagenase of human prostate carcinoma cells is closely correlated to the metastatic and invasive potential.