Objective      To investigate the effect of treatment of live X receptors specific agonist TO901317 on the expression of FOXM1 and the cell cycle and proliferation in HepG2 cells.       Methods      HepG2 cells were treated for 24 h with DMSO and 0.5 or 5 μmol/L TO901317.

RT-PCR and Western blotting was taken to detect the FOXM1 expression at mRNA and protein levels. Cell cycle analysis was examined by flow cytometry and cell proliferation was determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8).       Results      FOXM1 mRNA and protein expression were remarkably reduced after the treatment of TO901317 at different concentrations (

P

<

0.05). The percentage of cells at G

1

stage were (61.32±2.36)% and (70.40±4.65)% respectively after 0.5 and 5 μmol/L TO901317 treatment

significantly higher than that of the control group (

P

<

0.05). The OD value at 450 nm was  1.25±0.09 and 1.06±0.06 respectively after 0.5 and 5 μmol/L TO901317 treatment

significantly lower than the control group (1.53±0.07

P

<

0.05). TO901317 notablely inhibited the HepG2 cells proliferation.       Conclusion      TO901317 could suppress HepG2 proliferation and induce cell arrest at G

1

cycle in a does-dependent manner

and it may be result from the downregulation of FOXM1

which is one of the key transcription regulators of cell cycle proteins.