In this study, we explored the possible therapeutic use of MK silencing, apigenin treatment, and a combination of both on human PCa and prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs).
Midkine (MDK) is a tumor-promoting factor that is often overexpressed in various human carcinomas, and the role of MDK has not yet been fully investigated in prostate cancer stem cells.
The synthetic small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting human midkine almost completely inhibited the secretion of midkine by a human prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, and consequently suppressed the proliferation and anchorage-independent growth of the transfected cells.