title: A novel anticancer agent, decursin, induces G1 arrest and apoptosis in human prostate carcinoma cells.
abstract: We isolated a coumarin compound decursin (C(19)H(20)O(5); molecular weight 328) from Korean angelica (Angelica gigas) root and characterized it by spectroscopy. Here, for the first time, we observed that decursin (25-100 micromol/L) treatment for 24 to 96 hours strongly inhibits growth and induces death in human prostate carcinoma DU145, PC-3, and LNCaP cells. Furthermore, we observed that decursinol [where (CH(3))(2)-C=CH-COO- side chain of decursin is substituted with -OH] has much lower effects compared with decursin, suggesting a possible structure-activity relationship. Decursin-induced growth inhibition was associated with a strong G(1) arrest (P < 0.001) in DU145 and LNCaP cells, and G(1), S as well as G(2)-M arrests depending upon doses and treatment times in PC-3 cells. Comparatively, decursin was nontoxic to human prostate epithelial PWR-1E cells and showed only moderate growth inhibition and G(1) arrest. Consistent with G(1) arrest in DU145 cells, decursin strongly increased protein levels of Cip1/p21 but showed a moderate increase in Kip1/p27 with a decrease in cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK); CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, and cyclin D1, and inhibited CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, and cyclin E kinase activity, and increased binding of CDK inhibitor (CDKI) with CDK. Decursin-caused cell death was associated with an increase in apoptosis (P < 0.05-0.001) and cleaved caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase; however, pretreatment with all-caspases inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) only partially reversed decursin-induced apoptosis, suggesting the involvement of both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent pathways. These findings suggest the novel anticancer efficacy of decursin mediated via induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis selectively in human prostate carcinoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Sahm Yook University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dongsool
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.forename: Rana P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Chapla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Sookyeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyungjoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agarwal
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002087:Butyrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001578:Benzopyrans; D002087:Butyrates; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; C436291:CDKN1B protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; C101278:decursin; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D020169:Caspases