VCaP Xenograft Model Service for Prostate Cancer

The VCaP cell line provides a clinically representative in vivo platform for investigating androgen receptor (AR) amplification and therapeutic resistance in prostate cancer. As a specialized pre-clinical contract research organization, Alfa Cytology delivers an integrated, high-precision VCaP Xenograft Model Service, meticulously optimized to provide reproducible, audit-ready data packages that accelerate your prostate cancer drug discovery and development pipeline.

Overview of VCaP Xenograft Model for Prostate Cancer

The VCaP xenograft model is an advanced in vivo translational system widely utilized in oncology research for the study of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Derived from a vertebral metastatic site of human prostate cancer, this model is uniquely characterized by the amplification of the androgen receptor (AR) gene and the overexpression of the AR protein.

Biologically, the VCaP model is highly valued for its ability to produce significant levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and for its sustained expression of full-length AR and AR splice variants. This molecular profile makes it an ideal system for evaluating the efficacy of potent AR antagonists, hormonal therapies, and novel inhibitors targeting the AR signaling pathway. The model maintains critical phenotypic features of advanced human prostate cancer, demonstrating reliable tumor formation and responsiveness to diverse therapeutic agents in an in vivo environment. Consequently, the VCaP model is extensively deployed in pre-clinical screening programs to assess the anti-tumor potency of novel therapeutic candidates in a physiologically relevant setting.

Fig 1. ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq read-density heatmaps at AR/p300 co-bound and AR-only binding sites in VCaP cells. (Luo J, et al., 2025)

Cell Line Information: VCaP

The VCaP cell line is derived from a metastatic lesion of human prostate carcinoma. These cells exhibit stable growth characteristics in vitro and retain key characteristics of androgen-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer, making them a foundational choice for pre-clinical model development.

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Workflow of VCaP Xenograft Model Construction

• Cell Culture & Quality Control: Human VCaP cells are expanded in vitro using certified nutrient media under optimized physiological conditions. STR authentication and mycoplasma screening are performed prior to inoculation to ensure absolute genetic integrity and purity.
• Host Selection & Preparation: Immunodeficient rodent models are utilized for tumor engraftment, with all animals maintained in a controlled, pathogen-free environment to ensure physiological stability and consistency throughout the study.
• Precision Inoculation: A calibrated suspension of high-viability VCaP cells is prepared, often supplemented with an extracellular matrix (e.g., Matrigel) to optimize take efficiency. Cells are inoculated in vivo via subcutaneous injection into the host flank to facilitate the development of a measurable, solid tumor.
• Longitudinal Monitoring: Tumor size is measured systematically using digital calipers to monitor volume progression. Animal health, activity, and body weight are recorded periodically to document systemic tolerance and clinical status.
• Randomization & Treatment: Once solid tumors reach a predefined, statistically significant volume, animals are randomized into matched cohorts to ensure baseline parity before the initiation of customized therapeutic dosing regimens.

Fig 2. VCaP Xenograft Model Construction Workflow

Case Study - VCaP Xenograft Model Development

A pre-clinical validation study was conducted using the VCaP xenograft model to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a novel androgen receptor inhibitor. Following the successful subcutaneous inoculation of VCaP cells into immunodeficient mice, the host animals developed firm, rapidly growing solid tumors. The treatment group demonstrated a clear, statistically significant inhibition of tumor growth compared to the vehicle-treated control group, confirming the model's sensitivity and reliability for screening novel therapeutic interventions in an AR-amplified setting.

Why Choose Alfa Cytology?

• Oncology Domain Expertise: Profound experience in managing specialized prostate cancer lineages, providing highly reproducible in vivo translational platforms for complex hormonal-resistance research.
• Rigorous Quality Control: Meticulous cell validation and standardized operating procedures that minimize experimental variability across all project stages.
• Tailored Experimental Design: Highly flexible protocols that adapt to specific animal strain requirements, custom dosing schedules, and unique compound properties.
• High-Resolution Deliverables: Every project concludes with a detailed, audit-ready report providing comprehensive tumor growth metrics and statistical validations.

Contact us

Accelerating your prostate cancer drug pipeline requires a pre-clinical partner with the technical proficiency to execute rigorous in vivo workflows flawlessly. If you are looking to advance your novel compound or require specialized pre-clinical testing using our VCaP platform, please reach out to us today to discuss your project requirements with our expert scientific team.

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