VCaP Cells

Categories: Prostate cancer cell lines Description: The VCaP (Vertebral-Cancer of the Prostate) cell line is an important model in the study of prostate cancer, derived from a vertebral metastasis of a human prostate carcinoma. It was established to provide a relevant in vitro model for researching the biology of prostate cancer and its metastatic process, particularly focusing on hormone-refractory stages of the disease. VCaP cells are known for expressing a high level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and androgen receptor (AR), making them highly relevant for studies on androgen receptor signaling pathways and resistance mechanisms to anti-androgen therapy. VCaP cells are also utilized extensively in genetic studies, as they harbor the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion, a common chromosomal translocation found in approximately 50% of prostate cancer cases. This specific genetic alteration is significant because it is thought to play a crucial role in the progression of prostate cancer. The cells are thus an excellent tool for research aiming to understand the molecular underpinnings of prostate cancer and for the development of new therapeutic strategies targeting TMPRSS2-ERG and related pathways. Moreover, VCaP cells exhibit robust in vitro growth and can form tumors when xenografted in immunodeficient mice, providing a useful system for preclinical studies of new anticancer drugs. Overall, the VCaP cell line serves as a vital resource for molecular and pharmacological studies, contributing significantly to the understanding of prostate cancer biology and the assessment of new therapeutic agents. Its characteristics, including hormone responsiveness, gene fusion expression, and metastatic origin, make it uniquely suitable for advanced prostate cancer research, particularly in areas related to androgen independence and metastatic disease progression. Organism: Human Tissue: Prostate Disease: Prostate carcinoma Metastatic Site: Bone, vertebra Synonyms: VCAP, Vcap, Vertebral Cancer of the Prostate Age: 59 years Gender: Male Ethnicity: European Growth Properties: Adherent Citation: VCaP (Cytion catalog number 300631) Biosafety Level: VCaP cells are classified as Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) for standard lab work. However, for genetic engineering, the ZKBS classifies them as Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2). Ncbi_ Taxid: 9606.0 Cellosaurus Accession: CVCL_2235 Antigen Expression: p53 antigen, Cytokeratin-18, prostate-specific antigen, prostatic acid phosphatase, Rb protein Tumorigenic: Yes, in SCID mice Viruses: mouse xenotropic retrovirus Bxv-1 Culture Medium: DMEM:Ham's F12 (1:1), w: 3.1 g/L Glucose, w: 2.5 mM L-Glutamine, w: 15 mM HEPES, w: 0.5 mM Sodium pyruvate, w: 1.2 g/L NaHCO3 (Cytion article number 820400a) Supplements: Supplement the medium with 10% FBS Dissociation Reagent: Accutase Doubling Time: Slow growing cell line, doubling time 5-6 days. Subculturing: Remove the old medium from the adherent cells and wash them with PBS that lacks calcium and magnesium. For T25 flasks, use 3-5 ml of PBS, and for T75 flasks, use 5-10 ml. Then, cover the cells completely with Accutase, using 1-2 ml for T25 flasks and 2.5 ml for T75 flasks. Let the cells incubate at room temperature for 8-10 minutes to detach them. After incubation, gently mix the cells with 10 ml of medium to resuspend them, then centrifuge at 300xg for 3 minutes. Discard the supernatant, resuspend the cells in fresh medium, and transfer them into new flasks that already contain fresh medium. Seeding Density: 4-8 x 104 cells/cm2 Freeze Medium: As a cryopreservation medium, use complete growth medium (including FBS) + 10% DMSO for adequate post-thaw viability, or CM-1 (Cytion catalog number 800100), which includes optimized osmoprotectants and metabolic stabilizers to enhance recovery and reduce cryo-induced stress. Thawing And Culturing Cells: Confirm that the vial remains deeply frozen upon delivery, as cells are shipped on dry ice to maintain optimal temperatures during transit. Upon receipt, either store the cryovial immediately at temperatures below -150°C to ensure the preservation of cellular integrity, or proceed to step 3 if immediate culturing is required. For immediate culturing, swiftly thaw the vial by immersing it in a 37°C water bath with clean water and an antimicrobial agent, agitating gently for 40-60 seconds until a small ice clump remains. Perform all subsequent steps under sterile conditions in a flow hood, disinfecting the cryovial with 70% ethanol before opening. Carefully open the disinfected vial and transfer the cell suspension into a 15 ml centrifuge tube containing 8 ml of room-temperature culture medium, mixing gently. Centrifuge the mixture at 300 x g for 3 minutes to separate the cells and carefully discard the supernatant containing residual freezing medium. Gently resuspend the cell pellet in 10 ml of fresh culture medium. For adherent cells, divide the suspension between two T25 culture flasks, for suspension cultures, transfer all the medium into one T25 flask to promote effective cell interaction and growth. Adhere to established subculture protocols for continued growth and maintenance of the cell line, ensuring reliable experimental outcomes. Sterility: Mycoplasma contamination is excluded using both PCR-based assays and luminescence-based mycoplasma detection methods. To ensure there is no bacterial, fungal, or yeast contamination, cell cultures are subjected to daily visual inspections. Safety Precautions: When planning to store a cryovial in liquid nitrogen for future thawing, it is mandatory to adhere to stringent safety measures. Appropriate protective gloves and clothing are essential, and the use of a face mask or safety goggles is required during the transfer of frozen samples to or from the liquid nitrogen tank. This is to mitigate the risk of injury from potential cryovial explosions upon removal, which can result in the projection of sharp fragments. Warranty: We stand by the promise of delivering products with high cell viability and robust culture performance. To achieve the best results, please make sure you follow the storage and culture instructions detailed in the product information sheet closely. Your adherence to these guidelines is key to success. Subject To Material Transfer Agreements: If you intend to use Cytion cell lines solely for internal research at a single research site, please complete and sign our Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) and submit it along with your order.For any commercial applications - including but not limited to fee-for-service work, quality control testing, product release, diagnostic use, or regulatory studies - please complete the Intended Use Form so we can prepare a suitable agreement tailored to your project.Please note: The MTA applies only to certain cell lines. If this notice and the MTA document appear on a product page, the agreement is applicable. For cell lines not covered by the MTA, no reference to the agreement will be shown. The MTA is not valid for customers in the Americas, China, or Taiwan. Please contact our U.S. entity to receive the appropriate agreement. Required Product 1: 820400a Required Product 3: 860015.0 Required Product 4: 830100.0