Effect of arsenic trioxide on cell Caspase-3 activity and Survivin gene expression in hormone refractory prostate cancer PC-3 cell line

Objective To investigate the effect of arsenic trioxide on cell proliferation,apoptosis,Caspase 3 activity and Survivin gene expression in hormone refractory prostate cancer PC 3 cell line.Methods PC 3 cells were exposed to different concentrations of arsenic trioxide for 48 h.Cell proliferation activity,apoptosis,Caspase 3 activity and Survivin mRNA were measured.Results After being incubated for 48 h,arsenic trioxide could inhibit PC 3 cell proliferation in all concentrations tested.The apoptosis rate were 11.8%, 12.7%, 29.6% respectively when the concentrations of arsenic trioxide exposed were 3,6,10 μmol/L ( P 0.001). The Caspase 3 activity in experimental groups was significantly increased as compared with that in the control group.The intensity of Survivin gene expression in PC 3 cells (control,1,2,3,6 10 μmol/L groups) was 1.11± 0.24, 0.99± 0.06, 0.89± 0.12, 0.78± 0.04, 0.51± 0.06 and 0.4± 0.05 respectively,with the difference being statistically significant ( P 0.01). Conclusion Arsenic trioxide could effectively inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in PC 3 cells by suppressing Surviving gene expression and increasing the Caspase 3 activity.