title: [Effects of simvastatin on the proliferation and apoptosis of prostatic epithelial RWPE-1 cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of simvastatin on the proliferation and apoptosis of prostatic epithelial RWPE-1 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  RWPE-1 cells cultured in vitro were treated with simvastatin at 0, 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L for 24, 48, and 72 hours followed by determination of their proliferation by MTT assay, and their apoptosis by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and Cx43 were detected by fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 72 hours of treatment with simvastatin at 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L, the inhibition rates of the RWPE-1 cells were (21.07 ± 6.41)%, (34.87 ± 9.65)%, and (47.18 ± 10.88)%, respectively, significantly higher than (1.21 ± 0.54)% in the control group (P < 0.05) and in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05); the cell apoptosis rates were (0.066 ± 0.016)%, (0.126 ± 0.023)%, and (0.192 ± 0.025)%, respectively, remarkably higher than (0.015 ± 0.005)% in the control (P < 0.05) and also in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05); the mRNA and protein expressions of Bcl-2 were decreasing while those of Bax and Cx43 increasing with the increased concentration of simvastatin (P < 0.05). The expression of Cx43 was correlated negatively with that of Bcl-2 but positively with that of Bax.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simvastatin inhibits the proliferation of prostate epithelial cells and induce their apoptosis by acting on the gap junctional intercellular communication.
authors: Ming-gen
authors: MG
authors: Yang
authors: Zhou-da
authors: ZD
authors: Zheng
authors: Hai-li
authors: HL
authors: Lin
authors: Zhi-ming
authors: ZM
authors: Zhuang
authors: Tian-qi
authors: TQ
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D018031:Connexin 43; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019821:Simvastatin