LNCaP Metastatic Tumor Model Service for Prostate Cancer

The LNCaP Metastatic Tumor Model Service for Prostate Cancer supplies an androgen-responsive in vivo platform in which human prostate carcinoma cells disseminate from orthotopic or systemic sites to lymph nodes, lung, and bone in male immunodeficient mice. From the first passage of authenticated cells through surgical implantation, castration-arm design, serial imaging, and serum marker tracking, Alfa Cytology carries each LNCaP metastasis study with the patience and hormonal control this slow-growing, androgen-dependent line demands — returning datasets built for decision-making rather than observation alone.

Overview of LNCaP Metastatic Tumor Model for Prostate Cancer

LNCaP is a human prostate adenocarcinoma cell line isolated in 1977 by Horoszewicz and colleagues from a needle aspiration of the left supraclavicular lymph node of a 50-year-old patient with metastatic prostate carcinoma. The line retains hallmarks of differentiated prostate tissue: it expresses the androgen receptor, secretes prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase, and modulates its growth in response to dihydrotestosterone. LNCaP grows slowly in adherent, loosely attached clusters rather than uniform monolayers, carries a hypotetraploid karyotype, and forms tumors in nude mice, making it the reference line for androgen-axis biology despite its inherently modest metastatic aggressiveness.

Fig 1. LNCaP spheroid preparation and orthotopic application: spheroid formation over days 1–10 (compact dark spheroids by day 5–10, 500 µm scale), LNCaP doubling time increasing with spheroid size (monolayer ~60 h → 25,000-cell spheroid ~150 h), pre- versus post-injection spheroid morphology, and H&E of the LNCaP spheroid confirming viable tumor architecture — the 3D spheroid injection strategy for enhancing orthotopic tumor take. (Bastian, Julius Lars Daniel, et al., 2024)

That modest aggressiveness shapes how the LNCaP metastatic model is built. Orthotopic implantation into the prostate of male mice enables the cells to seed pelvic lymph nodes and, with time, distant organs; intracardiac injection routes circulating cells to the bone compartment, where LNCaP produces mildly osteoblastic lesions characteristic of clinical prostate cancer metastasis; and serial passage in vivo has yielded derivatives with progressively stronger bone tropism for programs needing faster colonization. Luciferase labeling supports whole-body monitoring, while detectable human PSA in mouse serum provides a second, non-imaging readout of tumor burden. Together these features make the model a mainstay for studying androgen deprivation, next-generation androgen receptor inhibitors, and bone-directed combination strategies in the preclinical setting.

Cell Line Information: LNCaP

LNCaP clone FGC (ATCC CRL-1740) remains the archetypal androgen-responsive prostate cancer line. Its authenticated profile, hormonally regulated markers, and confirmed tumorigenicity anchor its use across metastasis, resistance, and combination-therapy research. Principal attributes are catalogued below.

Our Services

Clients receive far more than implanted animals: Alfa Cytology stages the entire LNCaP metastatic program — hormone-controlled cell banking, surgeon-performed orthotopic or intracardiac inoculation, castration and treatment arms with blinded randomization, scheduled in vivo imaging plus serial serum PSA, and a closing pathology package — so every readout traces back to a qualified, documented workflow.

Workflow of LNCaP Metastatic Tumor Model Construction

Because LNCaP grows slowly and depends on androgen signaling, its metastatic model is built on longer timelines and stricter handling rules than most xenografts. The construction sequence is condensed below.

1. Identity and marker verification: The line is authenticated by STR profiling, cleared of mycoplasma, and checked for androgen receptor and PSA expression before any in vivo use.
2. Hormone-controlled cell banking: Low-passage LNCaP cells are expanded gently with cluster dispersal by pipetting, then cryopreserved so each cohort starts from the same qualified bank.
3. Reporter labeling when imaging is required: Luciferase-expressing cells are generated by stable transduction, clonally screened, and confirmed in vitro for signal output and growth parity with the parental line.
4. Model format and host design: Male nude, NOD-SCID, or NSG mice are allocated to orthotopic prostate implantation, intracardiac delivery for bone colonization, or subcutaneous-primary formats, with castration schedules pre-planned for androgen-deprivation arms.
5. Inoculation under surgical or systemic procedures: Orthotopic studies receive roughly 1 × 10⁶ cells in a small-volume suspension injected into the prostate capsule, while intracardiac studies receive on the order of 1–2 × 10⁵ cells for skeletal homing.
6. Longitudinal burden assessment: Tumor spread is followed by serial in vivo bioluminescence imaging, with serum PSA drawn on schedule, body weight recorded, and clinical signs reviewed against humane endpoints.
7. Randomized intervention and endpoint analysis: Animals are randomized to treatment at defined signal thresholds; necropsy covers prostate, pelvic lymph nodes, lung, and bone, with ex vivo imaging, lesion scoring, and H&E or immunohistochemistry completing the dataset.

Fig 2. LNCaP Metastatic Tumor Model construction workflow.

Case Study-LNCaP Metastatic Tumor Model Development

Teams developing androgen-axis and bone-directed therapeutics have engaged Alfa Cytology to run LNCaP metastatic studies spanning castration-sensitive and castration-resistant settings, including orthotopic growth with lymphatic spread and intracardiac bone colonization monitored by imaging and serum PSA. These preclinical collaborations have supported head-to-head regimen comparisons and biomarker-informed readouts while keeping each dataset confidential to the sponsor. Non-confidential study schemas and outcome narratives can be provided on request to illustrate how a given design is executed.

Why Choose Alfa Cytology?

Few lines punish shortcuts the way LNCaP does — its slow division, cluster growth, and androgen dependence reward careful planning. Alfa Cytology brings exactly that discipline, and couples it with imaging and serum-marker analytics that turn a challenging line into a high-information model.

• Hormone-aware design: male hosts, castration timing, and supplementation are engineered into the protocol from day one.
• Dual burden readouts: bioluminescence imaging is paired with serial serum PSA for orthogonal confirmation.
• Bone-colonization expertise: intracardiac and skeletal formats reproduce the osteoblastic lesions typical of prostate cancer spread.
• Gentle cell stewardship: cluster handling and low-passage banking preserve the line's androgen-responsive phenotype.
• Surgical orthotopic capability: ultrasound-guided or open implantation places cells in the anatomically correct niche.
• Transparent execution: clients receive scheduled updates and direct access to the scientists performing the work.

Contact Us

If your prostate cancer program needs a metastatic readout built on the androgen-responsive LNCaP platform, contact us to design the study together. Reach out to Alfa Cytology and we will return a tailored plan covering model format, timelines, and the endpoint package best suited to your candidates.

For research use only. Not intended for any clinical use.