The effect of progesterone on proliferation of ovarian cancer cells in vitro

Objective To investigate the effect of progesterone on proliferation of ovarian cancer cells.Methods The proliferation capacity of the ovarian carcinoma cell line HO-8910 was evaluated by microculture tetrazolium assay (MTT) after treatment of progesterone.The expression of the estrogen receptor,progesterone receptor and androgen receptor were examined by immunohistochemical staining.Results After 48 and 72 hours treatment of progesterone (1×10 -6 ～1×10 -5 mol/L),the growth of HO-8910 cells was inhibited.Proliferation of the cell was inhibited by progesterone in concentration of 1×10 -5 mol/L after 21 days,too.The expression levels of estrogen receptor,progesterone receptor and androgen receptor of HO-8910 showed no singnificant difference between pre- and post-treatment of progesterone.Conclusions The growth of HO-8910 cells can be inhibited by progesterone.Progesterone does not change the expression of steroid hormone receptor in ovarian cell line.