title: Amygdalin induces apoptosis through regulation of Bax and Bcl-2 expressions in human DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells.
abstract: Prostate cancer is one of the most common non-skin cancers in men. Amygdalin is one of the nitrilosides, natural cyanide-containing substances abundant in the seeds of plants of the prunasin family that have been used to treat cancers and relieve pain. In particular, D-amygdalin (D-mandelonitrile-beta-D-gentiobioside) is known to exhibit selective killing effect on cancer cells. Apoptosis, programmed cell death, is an important mechanism in cancer treatment. In the present study, we prepared the aqueous extract of the amygdalin from Armeniacae semen and investigated whether this extract induces apoptotic cell death in human DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells. In the present results, DU145 and LNCaP cells treated with amygdalin exhibited several morphological characteristics of apoptosis. Treatment with amygdalin increased expression of Bax, a pro-apoptotic protein, decreased expression of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein, and increased caspase-3 enzyme activity in DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Here, we have shown that amygdalin induces apoptotic cell death in human DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells by caspase-3 activation through down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax. The present study reveals that amygdalin may offer a valuable option for the treatment of prostate cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Mal-Soon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hye-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jin-Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Sick
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myoung-Hwa
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jullia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Khae-Hawn
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang-Ju
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000678:Amygdalin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000678:Amygdalin; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases