title: Induction of apoptosis in prostate cancer cells by pachymic acid from Poria cocos.
abstract: Pachymic acid (PA) is a natural triterpenoid known to inhibit the phospholipase A2 (PLA(2)) family of arachidonic acid (AA)-producing enzymes. PLA(2) is elevated in prostatic adenocarcinoma and conversion of AA to prostaglandins leads to AKT pro-survival activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of PA on the growth of human prostate cancer cells. PA significantly reduced cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent fashion, with androgen-insensitive DU145 prostate cancer cells showing greater growth inhibition relative to androgen-responsive LNCaP. Despite elevated protein expression of the cell cycle inhibitor, p21, apoptosis occurred in the absence of cell cycle arrest. PA-treatment decreased Bad phosphorylation, increased Bcl-2 phosphorylation, and activated caspases-9 and -3, suggesting that PA initiated apoptosis through mitochondria dysfunction. PA-treatment also decreased the expression and activation of proteins within the AKT signal pathway. We speculate that PA influenced apoptosis by reducing prostaglandin synthesis and AKT activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gapter
authors.forename: Zaisen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glinski
authors.forename: Ka-yun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010766:Phosphorylation; D020072:Polyporales / Q000378:metabolism*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C494819:BAD protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004396:Coloring Agents; D011453:Prostaglandins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D013729:Terpenes; D014315:Triterpenes; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases; C102487:pachymic acid