Viability rates of (A) LNCap, (B) PC3 and (C) DU145 cells detected using an MTT assay. The proliferation capacities of the hepcidin+ve groups, which were similar to those of the hepcidin−ve groups on the first day, became significantly higher with extended time. *P<0.05. **P<0.01 compared with the hepcidin+ve groups. Hepcidin+ve, cells treated with exogenous hepcidin; hepcidin−ve, hepcidin-silenced cells.