Objective: To study the inhibitory effect of matrine on the proliferation of the prostate cancer cell line LNCaP and the expression of the androgen receptor (AR).
Methods: LNCaP cells were treated with matrine at the concentration of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 g/L for 12, 24 and 36 hours, the cell growth activity determined by MTT colorimetry and trypan blue staining at 36 hours, the cell cycle changes detected by flow cytometry and the expression of AR by Western blot at 24 hours.
Results: Matrine suppressed the in vitro growth of the androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell line LNCaP in a time- and dose-dependent manner, blocked the cell cycles in the G2/M phase and decreased the expression of AR in the cell line in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: Matrine can significantly inhibit the in vitro growth of NCaP cells by down-regulating the expression of AR and blocking cell cycles.