title: Expression of Nkx3.1 enhances 17beta-estradiol anti-tumor action in PC3 human prostate cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether the anti-tumor action of 17beta-estradiol is enhanced by re-expression of the homeodomain transcription factor Nkx3.1 in PC3 human prostate cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  PC3 cells were stably transfected with pcDNA3.1-Nkx3.1-His vector, which carries a full-length cDNA of human Nkx3.1. The PC3 cells stably transfected with vector pcDNA3.1 were set as a control. The expression of Nkx3.1 protein in the cells was confirmed by Western blot analysis. The effect of Nkx3.1 on cell proliferation of PC3 cells was examined with MTT assay. The antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of 17beta-estradiol alone or in combination with Nkx3.1 were estimated on PC3 cells by using MTT growth tests and flow cytometric analyses. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was analyzed using Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasmid carrying Nkx3.1 gene induced high expression of Nkx3.1 protein in PC3 cells. The re-expression of exogenous Nkx3.1 did not cause a significant reduction in cellular proliferation, whereas the expression of Nkx3.1 enhanced the 17beta-estradiol anti-proliferative effect in PC3 cells. Nkx3.1 expression promoted 17beta-estradiol-induced apoptosis of PC3 cells, as shown by analysis of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates that re-expression of Nkx3.1 enhances 17beta-estradiol anti-tumor action in PC3 human prostate cancer cells. The in vitro study suggests that re-expression of Nkx3.1 is worthy of further consideration as an adjuvant treatment of androgen independent prostate cancer with estrogen anti-tumor therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jin-Dan
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zhi-Gen
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Zhao-Dian
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D013734:Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C491178:NKX3-1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004958:Estradiol