Objective: To investigate the mechanisms of the effects of solanine on human androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC-3 in vitro.
Methods: PC-3 cells were treated with solanine at the concentration of 0, 30, 40 and 50 microg/ml, and the cell activity was measured by CCK-8 at 12, 24 and 48 hours after the treatment. At 24 hours, the cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, and the protein expressions of I(kappa)B(alpha) and Bcl-2 determined by Western blot.
Results: Solanine suppressed the growth of PC-3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner in vitro, with significant differences among different concentration and time groups (P < 0.05). The cycle of the PC-3 cells was arrested in the S phase (P < 0.05), with a significantly higher rate of apoptosis in the treated groups than in the controls (P < 0.05). The protein expression of I(kappa)B(alpha) was obviously up-regulated and that of Bcl-2 down-regulated in all the solanine concentration groups.
Conclusion: Solanine has an anti-prostate cancer effect by inhibiting PC-3 cell proliferation, arresting the S phase, inducing cell apoptosis, up-regulating the protein expression of I(kappa)B(alpha) and down-regulating that of Bcl-2.