OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of matrine on the proliferation and apoptosis of human rhabdomyosarcoma RD cells in vitro, and to explore the mechanism of matrine inducing apoptosis of RD cells.

METHODSMTT assay was used to measure the proliferation inhibition rates of RD cells that were treated with matrine (final concentrations= 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/mL). Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the apoptosis of RD cells treated with the four concentrations of matrine. RT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of cyclin D1 and survivin in RD cells treated with 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/mL of matrine.

RESULTSThe RD cells treated with various concentrations of matrine showed significantly higher proliferation inhibition rates and apoptotic rates than those that were not treated with matrine (P<0.01), and with increased matrine concentration, the proliferation inhibition rate of RD cells increased gradually, thus exhibiting a dose dependence. The mRNA expression of cyclin D1 and survivin was seen in all RD cells, but was significantly lower in RD cells treated with matrine than in those that were not treated with matrine (P<0.01). There were significant differences in cyclin D1 mRNA level among the RD cells treated with 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/mL of matrine (P<0.05), while there was significant difference in survivin mRNA level between the RD cells treated with 0.5 and 1.5 mg/mL of matrine (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMatrine can significantly inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of RD cells, which may be related to downregulating the mRNA expression of cyclin D1 and survivin.