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Melatonin Induces Apoptotic Cell Death via p53 in LNCaP Cells

Chi Hyun Kim1, Yeong-Min Yoo

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Health Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 220-710, Korea.

The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology : Official Journal of the Korean Physiological Society and the Korean Society of Pharmacology
|February 12, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Melatonin induces programmed cell death in prostate cancer cells by activating p53 and related pathways. This study reveals melatonin

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Prostate cancer remains a significant health concern.
  • Melatonin's role in cancer apoptosis is under investigation.
  • The p53 pathway is crucial in regulating cell death.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanism of melatonin-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer LNCaP cells.
  • To determine the involvement of the p53 pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in this process.

Main Methods:

  • LNCaP cells were treated with varying concentrations of melatonin.
  • Apoptosis markers such as PARP fragmentation and caspase activation were assessed.
  • Expression levels of key proteins including p53, p21, Bax, Bcl-2, and MDM2 were analyzed.
  • The role of MAPK pathways (ERK, JNK, p38) was evaluated using specific inhibitors.

Main Results:

  • Melatonin significantly inhibited LNCaP cell growth in a dose- and time-dependent manner.
  • Melatonin induced apoptosis, evidenced by PARP cleavage and caspase activation.
  • Melatonin upregulated pro-apoptotic Bax and downregulated anti-apoptotic Bcl-2.
  • Melatonin increased the expression of p53, p21, and p27.
  • Melatonin-induced apoptosis was dependent on p21 and JNK/p38 MAPK, but not ERK.
  • Inhibitor studies indicated p53-dependent JNK/p38 MAPK activation in melatonin-induced apoptosis.

Conclusions:

  • Melatonin effectively induces apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.
  • The p53 pathway, p21, and JNK/p38 MAPK signaling are critical mediators of melatonin's anti-cancer effects.
  • These findings suggest melatonin as a potential therapeutic agent for prostate cancer.
Keywords:
JNKLNCaP cellsMelatoninp38p53

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