OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of staurosporine (ST) on the proliferation and apoptosis of prostate cancer PC-3 cells.

METHODSProstate cancer PC-3 cells were treated in vitro with ST at 10(-8) mol/L. The expressions of cyclin A and cyclin D1 proteins in the cells were detected by Western blot, the effect of ST on the proliferation of the cells determined by MTT assay and plate colony formation, the apoptosis of the cells examined by flow cytometry, and their morphological changes observed under the light microscope.

RESULTSST treatment markedly decreased the expressions of cyclin A and cyclin D1 in the PC-3 cells, and significantly inhibited the growth of the PC-3 cells (19.35%) at 48 h. (F = 31.06, P < 0.01). The colony formation rate of the PC-3 cells was (37.10 +/- 3.43) % in the ST group, significantly lower than (64.80 +/- 4.34) % in the control (chi2 = 14.59, P < 0.05) and (62.80 +/- 4.36) % in the DMSO group (chi2 = 12.50, P < 0.05), while the apoptosis rate of the cells was remarkably higher in the ST group ([19.6 +/- 2.20] %) than in the control ([5.33 +/- 1.40] %) and the DMSO group ([5.50 +/- 0.96] %) (F = 104.36, P < 0.01). Under the light microscope, the ST-treated cells were round with indistinct margins as compared with those of the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONST could significantly inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of PC-3 cells.