P 04. Study on the effect and mechanism of bufalin on the proliferation and apoptosis of prostate cancer PC3 cells

Objective: To study the effect and mechanism of bufalin on the proliferation and apoptosis growth characteristics of prostate cancer PC3 cells.

Methods: Different concentrations of bufalin was adopted to act on androgen-independent prostate cancer PC3 cells. Changes in cell proliferation were detected by tetrazolium blue method (MTT) and cell apoptosis by flow cytometry. The protein expression of Bcl-2, Akt and P-Akt genes that related to cell proliferation and apoptosis was detected by Western blot method.

Results: MTT assay for the effect of bufalin on the cell proliferation of prostate cancer PC3 cells: bufalin of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 nmol/L was used to treat PC3 cells, and cell proliferation inhibition rate at 24, 48h, 72h was calculated. The results showed the inhibition was in a time-and dosedependent manner. The half inhibitory concentration (IC50) of different time points were 45.28±4.53 nmol/L, 9.26±0.82 nmol/L and 3.87±0.37 nmol/L. Flow cytometry for the effect of bufalin on the cell apoptosis of prostate cancer PC3 cells: 48 hours after different concentrations of bufalin acted on PC3 cells, no significant apoptosis peak was detected in the control group; apoptosis rates of 10, 50 and 100 nmol/L group were 8.41±0.64%, 13.90±1.02% and 22.75±3.37% (P<0.05). Bufalin can inhibit the expression of proliferation and apoptosis-related genes Bcl-2 and P-Akt a dose-dependent manner.

Conclusions: Bufalin can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer PC3 cells and promote apoptosis by Akt/Bcl-2 signaling pathways.