Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 21, 2026

An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis
06:48

An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis

Published on: September 18, 2013

36.2K

Berberine targets epidermal growth factor receptor signaling to suppress prostate cancer proliferation in vitro

Zheng-Hua Huang1, Hong-Fang Zheng1, Wei-Lu Wang1

  • 1Department of Urological Surgery, Kunshan First People's Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300, P.R. China.

Molecular Medicine Reports
|November 15, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Berberine, derived from Chinese herbal medicine, effectively inhibits prostate cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. It also inactivates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Berberine is a compound found in Coptis chinensis (Huanglian) with known anticancer properties.
  • Limited research exists on berberine's specific effects on prostate cancer cell growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficacy of berberine as an anticancer agent against human prostate cancer cell lines.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which berberine affects prostate cancer cell proliferation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized LnCaP and PC-3 human prostate cancer cell lines for in vitro studies.
  • Performed cell proliferation assays, cell cycle analysis, apoptosis assays, and Western blot analysis.
  • Assessed the impact of berberine on prostate-specific antigen expression and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation.

Main Results:

  • Berberine demonstrated dose- and time-dependent inhibition of prostate cancer cell proliferation.
  • Berberine treatment led to cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and enhanced apoptosis.
  • Berberine suppressed prostate-specific antigen expression and inhibited EGFR activation, even after EGF stimulation.

Conclusions:

  • Berberine effectively inhibits prostate cancer cell proliferation.
  • Mechanisms include inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest via inactivation of the EGFR signaling pathway.

More Related Videos

Establishment of Hepatocarcinoma in BALB/c-nu Mice and Investigation of the Therapeutic Effect of the Sanleng Jiashen Formula09:03

Establishment of Hepatocarcinoma in BALB/c-nu Mice and Investigation of the Therapeutic Effect of the Sanleng Jiashen Formula

Published on: January 26, 2024

817
Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment11:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment

Published on: June 9, 2023

2.6K

Related Concept Videos

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
8.5K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
9.2K
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
74
Receptor Downregulation in MVBs01:15

Receptor Downregulation in MVBs

Multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are mature endosomes that sort ubiquitinated proteins and then fuse with lysosomes to degrade the sorted proteins. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) form a complex that can be internalized through endocytosis, sorted into an MVB, and later degraded.
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that  lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR  stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive  EGFR...
3.0K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
5.2K