ABSTRACT
Cancer is a condition characterized by remarkably enhanced rates of cell proliferation paired with evasion of cell death. These deregulated cellular processes take place following genetic mutations leading to the activation of oncogenes, the loss of tumor suppressor genes, and the disruption of key signaling pathways that control and promote homeostasis. Plant extracts and plant-derived compounds have historically been utilized as medicinal remedies in different cultures due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Many chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of cancer are derived from plants, and the scientific interest in discovering plant-derived chemicals with anticancer potential continues today. Curcumin, a turmeric-derived polyphenol, has been reported to possess antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties. In the present review, we summarize all the in vitro and in vivo studies examining the effects of curcumin in prostate cancer.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Curcumin/pharmacology , Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Curcumin/chemistry , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects , Humans , Male , Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics , Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism , Prostatic Neoplasms/physiopathologyABSTRACT
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in North American men and is typically classified as either androgen receptor positive or negative depending on the expression of the androgen receptor (AR). AR positive prostate cancer can be treated with hormone therapy while AR negative prostate cancer is aggressive and does not respond to hormone therapy. It has been previously reported that rosemary extract (RE) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. In the present study, we found that treatment of the androgen-insensitive PC-3 prostate cancer cells with RE resulted in a significant inhibition of proliferation, survival, migration, Akt, and mTOR signaling. In addition, treatment of the androgen-sensitive 22RV1 prostate cancer cells with RE resulted in a significant inhibition of proliferation and survival while RE had no effect on normal prostate epithelial PNT1A cells. These findings suggest that RE has potent effects against prostate cancer and warrants further investigation.
Subject(s)
Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/antagonists & inhibitors , Rosmarinus , TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Movement/drug effects , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Humans , Male , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/physiology , Signal Transduction/drug effects , TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/physiologyABSTRACT
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Triple-negative (TN) breast cancer lacks expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) as well as the expression and/or gene amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). TN breast cancer is aggressive and does not respond to hormone therapy, therefore new treatments are urgently needed. Plant-derived chemicals have contributed to the establishment of chemotherapy agents. In previous studies, rosemary extract (RE) has been found to reduce cell proliferation and increase apoptosis in some cancer cell lines. However, there are very few studies examining the effects of RE in TN breast cancer. In the present study, we examined the effects of RE on TN MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell proliferation, survival/apoptosis, Akt, and mTOR signaling. RE inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation and survival in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, RE inhibited the phosphorylation/activation of Akt and mTOR and enhanced the cleavage of PARP, a marker of apoptosis. Our findings indicate that RE has potent anticancer properties against TN breast cancer and modulates key signaling molecules involved in cell proliferation and survival.