Abstract:

Objective
 To study the effect of 20(s)-proto-panaxdiol ( PPD) on apoptosis of human prostate cancer PC3 cells cultivated in vitro,and to clarify the mechanism of its anticancer action.Methods The PC3 cells cultivated in vitro were divided into control, and 20,30,40  μmol/LPPD groups.The morphological changes of PC3 cells were observed under optical microscope after treated with PPD for 48 h.The proliferation inhibition of PC3 cells was detected by MTT method.The apoptosis of PC3 cells was detected by AO/EB staining and the  expressions of Bax,Bcl-2 and γH2Ax proteins were analyzed by Western blotting.Results After treated with different doses of PPD,the PC3 cells were round,recovery,and broken.AO/EB staining found that the cells presented yellow-green.The inhibitory rates of proliferation of PC3 cells in  various  groups were increased compared with control group(P<0.05).The  expression of Bcl-2 protein was down-regulated(P<0.05), the expression of Bax protein didn’t change significantly,  and the expression  of γH2Ax protein was up-regulated(P<0.05).Conclusion PPD may induce the apoptosis of PC3 cells,and its mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein and the up-regulation of γH2Ax protein expression.

Key words: 20 (s)-protopanaxdaol;prostate neoplasma;PC3 cells;apoptosis