Stanniocalcin 1 promotes cell proliferation via cyclin E1/cyclin‑dependent kinase 2 in human prostate carcinoma

Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) is a glycoprotein hormone that is involved in calcium/phosphate homeostasis. Increasing evidence suggests that STC1 is involved in carcinogenesis; however, few studies have defined the mechanisms and functional roles of STC1 activity in prostate carcinogenesis. In the present study, MTT, flow cytometry and colony formation assays, and small interfering RNA (siRNA) and overexpression in multiple cell lines were used to investigate the function of STC1 in prostate carcinoma in vivo and in vivo. Knockdown of endogenous STC1 using a siRNA decreased the proliferation of DU145 and LNCaP2 cells. These results were consistent with the changes in the protein levels of cyclin E1 and cyclin‑dependent kinase 2. By contrast, increased expression of STC1 in RWPE-1 cells led to increased cell proliferation, suggesting that STC1 promotes prostate carcinoma cell proliferation. In summary, the present study investigated the impact of STC1 on the proliferation and growth of prostate cancer in an effort to evaluate STC1 as a predictive biomarker and as a potential target for therapy.