Nadia Mousavi - Department of Molecular Medicine, Cancer biomedical center, Tehran, Iran.
Shahrzad Rahimi - Department of Biology, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Hanane Emami - Department of Genetic, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Amir Hossein Kazemi - Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Zanjan university of medical sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Rana Mohammad Taghi Kashi - Department of Molecular Medicine, Cancer biomedical center, Tehran, Iran.
Ronak Heidarian - Department of Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer death in American population. In this manner, novel therapeutic approaches for identification of therapeutic targets for PCa has significant clinical implications. Quercetin is a potent cancer therapeutic agent and dietary antioxidant present in fruit and vegetables. Methods: To investigate the underlying mechanism by which the PCa was regulated, nanoparticles of quercetin were administrated to cells. For in vitro experiments, human PCa cell line LNCaP were involved. Cell viability assay and quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) for hedgehog signaling pathway genes were used to determine the key signaling pathway regulated for PCa progression. Results: The cell viability gradually decreased with increased concentration of quercetin nanoparticles. At ۴۸ h, ۴۰ mM concentration of quercetin treatment showed near ۵۰% of viable cells. Quercetin nanoparticles upregulates Su(Fu) mRNA expressions and downregulates gli mRNA expressions in the LNCaP cells. Conclusions: The results showed that the hedgehog signaling targeted inhibition may have important implications of PCa therapeutics. Additionally, the outcomes provided new mechanistic basis for further examination of quercetin nanoparticles to discover potential treatment strategies and new targets for PCa inhibition.

Hedgehog, Prostate cancer, Proliferation, Quercetin nanoparticles, Signaling pathway.