Figure 2.

Effects of E2, the ERα-selective agonist, PPT, and the ERβ-selective agonist, DPN, on the invasion of the DU-145 cells. Cells in culture medium without serum were seeded in ThincertR chambers with polyethylene terephthalate membranes pre-coated with phenol red-free Matrigel. These chambers were placed in 24-well plates containing culture medium with 10% FBS in the lower chamber. Cells in upper chambers of the same culture plate were incubated in the absence (C, control) and the presence of E2 (10 nM), ERα-selective agonist PPT (10 nM) or ERβ-selective agonist DPN (10 nM) for 24 h at 37°C. Cell invasion assay was performed as described in the Materials and methods. The results are expressed in relation to control (C=1) and plotted (mean ± SEM) from five to six independent experiments, in duplicate (bar graphs). Images (×200 magnification) are representative of five to six independent experiments performed in duplicate. *P<0.05, significantly different from the control (determined using ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test). E2, 17β-estradiol; ER, estrogen receptor; PPT, 4,4′,4”-(4-propyl-(1H)-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl)trisphenol; DPN, 2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionitrile.