<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Nucleostemin is essential for the proliferation and
survival of
stem and
cancer cells, but it is unknown whether this newly identified molecule is involved in
prostate cancer pathogenesis.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>Total
RNA and
protein were extracted from
prostate cancer tissues and PC-3, LNCap and DU145
cell lines. The nucleostemin
mRNA and
protein expression were measured by RT-PCR and
Western blot.
Immunohistochemistry was also used to detect the nucleostemin
protein expression in
prostate cancer tissues and
PC-3 cells. A nucleostemin specific,
short hairpin RNA, expression
plasmid was used to transfect
PC-3 cells. The changes of nucleostemin
gene were detected and the proliferative capacity of the
cells was determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Nucleostemin was highly expressed in
prostate cancer tissues and
cell lines. Nucleostemin expression level in the silencer group
PC-3 cells remarkably reduced. The proliferation rate of silencer group
PC-3 cells decreased and the percentage of G1 stage
cells increased. The
neoplasm forming capacity in
nude mice of the silencer group
PC-3 cells decreased significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Nucleostemin is highly expressed in
prostate cancer tissues and
cell lines. The proliferative capacity of
PC-3 cells is remarkably reduced after silencing nucleostemin
gene expression.</p>