The 22Rv1 cell line is a human prostate cancer cell widely used in laboratory studies. It serves as a consistent model for investigating prostate cancer, particularly its aggressive forms, and how it responds to various treatments.
Origin and Distinctive Features
The 22Rv1 cell line originated from the CWR22R human prostate cancer xenograft. This xenograft was derived from a primary prostate carcinoma and grown in mice. The 22Rv1 line emerged after the CWR22R xenograft regressed following castration (androgen ablation) and then relapsed. This origin makes it relevant for studying advanced prostate cancer resistant to hormone therapy.
A defining characteristic of 22Rv1 cells is their androgen-independent growth. Despite this, they express prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and contain the androgen receptor (AR). Notably, 22Rv1 cells possess an AR variant called AR-V7, which lacks the ligand-binding domain. This allows AR-V7 to remain active even at low androgen levels, supporting hormone-independent growth.
The karyotype of 22Rv1 cells has approximately 50 chromosomes. These cells show weak growth stimulation by dihydrotestosterone and respond to epidermal growth factor (EGF), but not to transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF beta-1). Genetically, 22Rv1 cells have mixed ancestry (approximately 41% West African, 42% European), which is important for health disparity studies.
Applications in Scientific Research
Scientists widely employ the 22Rv1 cell line in prostate cancer research. Its androgen-independent growth makes it a valuable model for studying castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), a challenging form of the disease to treat. Researchers use 22Rv1 cells to investigate the mechanisms of hormone resistance and how cancer cells adapt to androgen-reducing therapies.
The cell line is instrumental in drug discovery and development for prostate cancer. Scientists test new therapeutic compounds on 22Rv1 cells to evaluate their effectiveness in inhibiting cancer cell growth and survival. This includes assessing novel compounds targeting the androgen receptor and its variants, like AR-V7, which are often implicated in treatment resistance.
22Rv1 cells are also utilized to understand prostate cancer progression and develop new therapeutic strategies. They model the transition from androgen-dependent to androgen-independent growth, a significant challenge in advanced prostate cancer treatment. The cell line helps explore how genetic mutations, such as the AR-V7 splice variant, contribute to disease progression and how they can be targeted for interventions.
The Importance of 22Rv1 in Understanding Cancer
The 22Rv1 cell line is important in prostate cancer research due to its ability to mimic advanced, androgen-independent prostate cancer. This disease is often difficult to manage clinically, as it no longer responds to standard hormone therapies. The cells’ androgen-independent growth and expression of the active AR-V7 variant make them relevant for studying this aggressive disease state.
The American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) provides standardized, quality-controlled cell lines like 22Rv1 to the scientific community. This ensures researchers use consistent cell models, important for experimental reproducibility and reliability. ATCC’s well-characterized cell lines help maintain research integrity and allow for meaningful comparisons across studies.
The androgen-independent growth of 22Rv1 cells makes them invaluable for studying disease progression and developing treatments for aggressive prostate cancer. Researchers use this cell line to investigate novel pathways driving cancer growth without hormones and to screen for drugs targeting these mechanisms. This addresses a major hurdle in treating advanced prostate cancer, aiding the development of more effective therapies for resistant disease.