CASP-1-1 Cells

The CASP-1-1 cell line is a genetically engineered mouse prostate epithelial cell model, part of the CASP series established from primary, androgen-dependent prostate tumors in mice. These cells were derived using tissue recombination methods involving the urogenital sinus mesenchyme (UGM), enabling the formation of prostatic ducts in vivo, thus confirming their epithelial identity. CASP-1-1 cells express epithelial markers such as E-cadherin and demonstrate tumorigenic potential through anchorage-independent growth in vitro and tumor formation upon orthotopic injection into mouse prostates. They are immortalized and stable in long-term culture, having been maintained for at least 30 passages.

Genetically, CASP-1-1 cells are characterized by a heterozygous Pten status (+/−) and show medium levels of activated Akt (p-Akt), reflecting functional PI3K/Akt signaling alterations common in prostate cancer models. The androgen receptor (AR) is both transcriptionally and translationally expressed in these cells, and sequencing has revealed no mutations in the AR coding region. However, despite expressing wild-type AR, CASP-1-1 is androgen-independent, meaning its proliferation is not reliant on exogenous androgens, and it does not exhibit androgen-responsive promoter activity under standard assay conditions. This makes CASP-1-1 particularly useful for studying the transition from androgen-dependent to androgen-independent prostate cancer and the role of Pten/PI3K/Akt and AR signaling in this progression.