Regulatory roles of KDR antisense oligonucleotide on the proliferation of human prostate cancer cell line PC-3.

PURPOSE To explore the regulatory roles of antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2/ VEGFR2 (kinase insert domain-containing receptor, KDR) on the proliferation of PC-3 human prostate cancer cell line. METHODS Different concentrations of synthetic sense and antisense KDR oligonucleotides were transfected into PC-3 human prostate cancer cell line. The inhibitory effects of oligonucleotides on tumor cell proliferation, KDR mRNA expression, cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis were analyzed. RESULTS The inhibitory effects of ASODN on tumor cell proliferation reached the peak 48 hrs after transfection, and its intensity was positively related to the ASODN concentration. The expression of KDR mRNA was reduced in different degrees after transfection with ASODN, with significant differences in different concentration groups. After transfection of ASODN, apoptosis took place in different degrees but the cell cycle distributions were not significantly different in different concentration groups. CONCLUSION KDR gene plays a certain role in promotion of human prostate cancer PC-3 cells' proliferation. It is expected to become a molecular target for the treatment of androgen-independent prostate cancer.