title: Anticancer effect of deoxypodophyllotoxin induces apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells.
abstract: Deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPPT) is extracted and separated from citrus-related plants, includingPodophyllum (P.) peltatum, P. pleianthum, P. emodi(also calledP. hexandrum) andDiphylleia grayi. DPPT has significant antitumor and antiviral activity. However, due to its strong toxicity and side effects, its use is limited in practical applications. Thein vitroantitumor efficacy of DPPT on human prostate cancer (PCa) cells remains to be determined. The present study investigated the anticancer effect of DPPT on human PCa cells and its potential mechanism. The data revealed that DPPT markedly reduced cell proliferation and activated the caspase-3 expression level by an increase in apoptotic cell death in DU-145 cells. In addition, treatment with DPPT markedly downregulated the levels of phosphorylated Akt and activated the p53/B-cell lymphoma 2 associated X protein (Bax)/phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) signaling pathway in DU-145 cells, suggesting that caspase-mediated pathways were involved in DPPT-induced apoptosis. The present study suggested the role of DPPT as a novel chemotherapeutic drug for human PCa, which may function through the Akt/p53/Bax/PTEN signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wan-Rui
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yi-Xing
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
keywords: Akt/p53/Bax/PTEN; apoptosis; deoxypodophyllotoxin; human prostate cancer