Matrine promotes G0/G1 arrest and down-regulates cyclin D1 expression in human rhabdomyosarcoma cells.

Matrine has a broad-spectrum of anti-cancer effects and is efficient in the inhibition of proliferation of hepatoma cells, leukemia cells and neuroblastoma cell. However, its efficacy and tentative mechanisms in rhabdomyosarcoma have not been addressed before. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Matrine on cell cycle and expression of cyclin D1 in human rhabdomyosarcoma cells (RD cell line). RD cell line was treated with different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/mL) of Matrine, and cell proliferation and cell cycle were evaluated using, respectively, MTT assay and flow cytometry. The effect of Matrine on cyclin D1 mRNA levels was measured by RT-PCR. There was a dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation in the matrine-treated group (inhibition of proliferation rate in control cells 12.70 ± 0.35%; Matrine-treated cells [0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/mL]: 31.16 ± 0.11%, 42.96 ± 0.9%, and 57.26 ± 0.8%). The G0 / G1 ratio in study groups were, respectively, 58.44 ± 3.57%, 64.79 ± 2.03%, 69.97 ± 2.89% and 75.03 ± 1.23%.Cyclin D1 mRNA levels progressively diminished (control group ratio of cyclin D1 / β-actin: 0.59 ± 0.06; Matrine: 0.35 ± 0.05, 0.27 ± 0.02 and 0.04 ± 0.03). All aforementioned changes were significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, Matrine markedly suppresses cell proliferation in RD cells by decreasing expression of cyclin D1 mRNA and blocking the cell cycle at the G0 / G1 stage.