Novel stably transfected human reporter cell line AIZ-AR as a tool for an assessment of human androgen receptor transcriptional activity

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 26;10(3):e0121316. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121316. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Androgen receptor plays multiple physiological and pathological roles in human organism. In the current paper, we describe construction and characterization of a novel stably transfected human reporter cell line AIZ-AR for assessment of transcriptional activity of human androgen receptor. Cell line AIZ-AR is derived from human prostate carcinoma epithelial cell line 22Rv1 that was transfected with reporter plasmid containing 3 copies of androgen response regions (ARRs) followed by a single copy of androgen response element (ARE) from the promoter region of human prostate specific antigen (PSA) gene. AIZ-AR cells remained fully functional for more than 60 days and over 25 passages in the culture and even after cryopreservation. Time-course analyses showed that AIZ-AR cells allow detection of AR ligands as soon as after 8 hours of the treatment. We performed dose-response analyses with 23 steroids in 96-well plate format. We observed activation of AR by androgens, but not by estrogens and mineralocorticoids. Some glucocorticoids and progesterone also induced luciferase, but their potencies were 2-3 orders of magnitude weaker as compared to androgens. Taken together, we have developed a rapid, sensitive, selective, high-throughput and reproducible tool for detection of human AR ligands, with potential use in pharmacological and environmental applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Androgen Receptor Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cinnamates / pharmacology
  • Clone Cells
  • Cryopreservation
  • Dihydrotestosterone / pharmacology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Genes, Reporter*
  • Humans
  • Hygromycin B / analogs & derivatives
  • Hygromycin B / pharmacology
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Receptors, Androgen / genetics*
  • Receptors, Androgen / metabolism
  • Steroids / pharmacology
  • Time Factors
  • Transcription, Genetic* / drug effects
  • Transfection*

Substances

  • AR protein, human
  • Androgen Receptor Antagonists
  • Cinnamates
  • Receptors, Androgen
  • Steroids
  • Dihydrotestosterone
  • Hygromycin B
  • hygromycin A
  • Luciferases

Grants and funding

The authors' laboratory is supported by the grant from Czech Scientific Agency GACR 303/12/G163. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.