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An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis
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An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis

Published on: September 18, 2013

Lycopene modulates growth and survival associated genes in prostate cancer

Mohamed M Rafi1, Saravanan Kanakasabai, Marynell D Reyes

  • 1Department of Food Science, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ08901, USA.

The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
|June 11, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Lycopene, a tomato pigment, shows potential in fighting prostate cancer by affecting cell growth and survival. It modulates gene expression and enhances the effects of certain cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional biochemistry
  • Cancer biology
  • Molecular oncology

Background:

  • Lycopene, a carotenoid from tomatoes, is linked to reduced prostate cancer risk.
  • The precise mechanisms of lycopene's anti-cancer effects remain unclear.
  • Prostate cancer remains a significant health concern for men worldwide.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate lycopene's impact on prostate cancer cell proliferation, survival, and gene expression.
  • To explore lycopene's synergistic effects with chemotherapeutic agents and PPARγ agonists.
  • To elucidate the molecular pathways through which lycopene influences prostate cancer cells.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized WST-1 assay for proliferation studies on PC-3 prostate cancer cells.
  • Employed flow cytometry to analyze cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and necrosis.
  • Conducted gene array and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for biomarker analysis.

Main Results:

  • Lycopene exhibited a biphasic effect on PC-3 cell proliferation: increasing at low doses (1-5 μM) and decreasing at higher doses (50-100 μM).
  • Lycopene enhanced the anti-proliferative effects of Temozolomide and PPARγ agonists, but not Doxorubicin or Taxol.
  • Lycopene induced cell cycle arrest and increased apoptosis/necrosis, particularly when combined with other agents.
  • Gene expression analysis revealed lycopene's modulation of growth and apoptosis-associated biomarkers.

Conclusions:

  • Lycopene demonstrates dose-dependent effects on prostate cancer cell proliferation.
  • Lycopene potentiates the anti-cancer activity of specific chemotherapeutic agents and PPARγ agonists.
  • Lycopene attenuates prostate cancer progression by altering the expression of critical growth and survival genes.
Keywords:
B-cell lymphoma-2 like 1B-cell lymphoma–2BCL-2BCL2L1BRCA1CDK-7CDK-9Cancer preventionCarotenoidsEGFRFBSIGF1RLycopenePBSPC-3 cellsProstate cancerReal-Time PCRReal-Time polymerase chain reactionTGFβ-2Transforming growth factor beta-2breast cancer 1cyclin dependent kinase-7cyclin dependent kinase–9epidermal growth factor receptorfetal bovine seruminsulin-like growth factor 1 receptorphosphate-buffered saline

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