Vasoactive intestinal peptide and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide stimulate interleukin-6 production in prostate cancer cells and prostatic epithelial cells

Abstract

We investigated the effect of the vasoactive intestinal (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptides (PACAP) on the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in normal prostate epithelial and stromal cells and prostate cancer cells. We performed RT-PCR analysis to assess the expression of VIP receptor (VPAC1, VPAC2 and PAC1) mRNA in normal prostate epithelial and stromal cells and prostate cancer cells, and investigated the effect of VIP and PACAP on the production of IL-6. VPAC1, VPAC2 and PAC1 receptor mRNAs were expressed in LNCaP and DU-145/AR prostate cancer cells and PrEC cells (prostate epithelial cells). VIP stimulated the production of IL-6 in DU-145/AR prostate cancer and PrEC cells. PACAP showed a similar effect on IL-6 production in PrEC cells. VIP stimulated IL-6 promoter transcriptional activity in DU-145/AR cells. These results indicate that VIP and PACAP may modulate the IL-6 production of normal prostate epithelial and prostate cancer cells.