ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of solanine on the growth of human prostate cancer cell xenograft in nude mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human prostate cancer Du145 cells were injected into the subcutaneous layers on the back of nude mice. After a week, the mice bearing subcutaneous tumor graft were randomly divided into solanine treatment group and saline control group for treatment for 3 weeks. The tumor grafts were then harvested to evaluate the inhibition rate. The mRNA and protein expressions of cell cycle-related genes in the tumors were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively, and tumor cell apoptosis was detected using TUNEL method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The tumor growth rate in solanine-treated group was significantly slower than that in the control group (P<0.01). The mRNA and protein expressions of C-myc, cyclin D1, cyclin E1, CDK2, CDK4 and CDK6 were significantly inhibited by solanine. Solanine significantly up-regulated p21 mRNA and protein expression in the tumors and induced a higher apoptosis rate of the tumor cells than saline (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The tumor-inhibition effect of solanine is probably mediated by regulating the expressions of genes related with G1/S cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis.</p>