title: [Inhibitory effect of dihydroartemisinin on the growth of human prostate cancer PC-3M cells and its mechanism].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of dihydroartemisinin on the apoptosis of and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in prostate cancer cell line PC-3M in androgen-independent prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  PC-3M cells were treated with different doses (0, 25, 50 and 100 micromol/L) of dihydroartemisinin for 48 hours, their growth activity analyzed by MTT colorimetric assay and flow cytometry, and changes in the activities of caspase-3 and -8 detected by colorimetric assay. The expression of VEGF mRNA was determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and that of the VEGF protein by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the 0 micromol/L control group, the 25, 50 and 100 micromol/L dihydroartemisinin groups showed significantly increased apoptosis of PC-3M cells ([2.92 +/- 0.45]% vs [8.85 +/- 0.74]%, [12.83 +/- 0.84]% and [18.65 +/- 1.24]%, P < 0.01), and dose-dependent increase in the activities of caspase-8 ([0.47 +/- 0.05 ] U/microg vs [1.22 +/- 0.15], [1.76 +/- 0.07] and [2.91 +/- 0.24] U/microg, P < 0.01) and caspase-3 ([0.44 +/- 0.07] U/microg vs [0.95 +/- 0.08], [1.48 +/- 0.14] and [2.92 +/- 0.45] U/microg, P < 0.01). The expressions of VEGF mRNA and protein were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dihydroartemisinin can significantly suppress the growth of PC-3M cells, promote their apoptosis and reduce the expressions of VEGF mRNA and protein, which may serve to explain its inhibitory effect on tumor and angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guo-Fu
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Qin-Zhang
authors.initials: QZ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037621:Artemisinins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C039060:artenimol