Oridonin induced the apoptosis of PC-3 cells and its mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis promotion effect of oridonin on PC-3 cells. METHODS: PC-3 cells were treated with different concentrations of oridonin. MTT assay and drug concentration-time survival curve were used to test the effect of oridonin on the PC-3 cells. The percentage of earlier apoptosis cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. The protein expression of caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax in the PC-3 cells was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Oridonin effectively inhibited the proliferation of PC-3 cells in both concentration- and time-dependent manner, and the IC50 of PC-3 cells was 10.29 μmol/L. HochesT(3)3258 staining and flow cytometry deteced that oridonin induced the apoptosis of PC-3 cells in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05). Oridonin down-regulated Bcl-2, up-regulated Bax protein, and activated caspase-3 in a concentration-dependent manner in the PC-3 cells. CONCLUSION: The apoptosis of PC-3 cells induced by oridonin might be associated with the mitochondrial pathway.