Polyphyllin VI: A promising treatment for prostate cancer bone metastasis

Prostate cancer, as one of the most prevalent malignant tumors in men, seriously affects the prognosis and survival of patients due to its extremely high rate of bone metastasis. This study investigated the effect of Polyphyllin VI (PPVI) on metastatic bone disease for the first time in prostate cancer, focusing on its impact on osteoclast and tumor cell. In vitro studies utilized TRAP staining, ghost pen cyclic peptide staining, and bone resorption assays to evaluate the differentiation and function of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) induced and RM-1 conditional medium (CM) induced osteoclasts. The colony formation assay, wound healing assay, and Transwell assay were employed to analyze tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cycling and apoptosis of tumor cells in vitro. Western Blot and PCR assays were conducted to assess the expression of genes. In vivo, micro-CT, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and immunohistochemical staining evaluated the impact of PPVI on bone destruction and tumor growth in a mouse model of tumor tibial metastasis. The study results indicated that PPVI effectively inhibited osteoclast differentiation, suppresses tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, and induces apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest. In vivo, PPVI not only inhibits the growth of metastatic tumors but also mitigates the resulting bone destruction. These results suggest that PPVI holds significant potential as an alternative treatment for prostate cancer with bone metastasis, providing insights into its molecular mechanisms and therapeutic efficacy.