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Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) exhibits inhibitory and preventive effects on prostate tumors in mice

Einat Souli1, Marcelle Machluf, Abigail Morgenstern

  • 1Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.

Food and Chemical Toxicology : an International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
|December 8, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), found in cruciferous vegetables, significantly inhibited prostate cancer (PC) cell growth and tumor development in mice. This compound shows promise as both a preventive and therapeutic agent for PC.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Prostate cancer (PC) is a leading malignancy in Western countries.
  • Cruciferous vegetables contain indole derivatives with potential cancer-preventive properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the in vitro and in vivo effects of indole-3-carbinol (I3C) on prostate cancer.
  • To evaluate I3C as both a preventive and therapeutic agent for PC.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro studies used MTT, BrdU, and FACS analyses on TRAMP-C2 and BCE cells.
  • In vivo studies involved subcutaneous inoculation of PC cells in mice, with I3C administered therapeutically and preventively.
  • Tumor growth was assessed via volume measurements and immunohistochemistry (Ki-67, caspase 3, CD31).

Main Results:

  • I3C significantly decreased PC cell proliferation (3-fold reduction in Ki-67) and promoted apoptosis (increased caspase 3 staining).
  • In vivo, I3C administration (20 mg/kg) resulted in a 78% decrease in tumor volume.
  • I3C inhibited angiogenesis by reducing microvessel density (CD31) and complexity.

Conclusions:

  • Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) demonstrates significant inhibitory effects on prostate cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo.
  • I3C presents potential as a dual-action agent for prostate cancer prevention and therapy.

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