Objective: To investigate the effect of docetaxel on the interaction between C-jun and androgen receptor (AR) in prostate cancer LNCaP cells and its androgen-independence subtype LNCaP-bic cells.
Methods: LNCaP and LNCaP-bic cells were treated with docetaxel and the changes in AR and AP-1 expression were evaluated using luciferase assay. Western blotting and immunoprecipitation assay were employed to analyze the effects of docetaxel on the expressions of C-jun and AR and their interaction.
Results: Luciferase assay showed that LNCaP and LNCaP-bic cells expressed higher levels of AR and C-jun after docetaxel treatment. Docetaxel induced a higher level of p-c-jun expression in LNCaP-bic cells than in the parental LNCaP cells. Western blotting showed a strong PSA protein expression in LNCaP-bic cell after docetaxel treatment. Docetaxel caused a stronger interaction between AR and C-jun in LNCaP-bic cells.
Conclusion: Docetaxel activates ligand-independent AR transcription, and the interaction between AR and C-jun may affect the outcome of docetaxel chemotherapy.