RESUMO
Prostate cancer presents high occurrence worldwide. Medicinal plants are a major source of novel and potentially therapeutic molecules; therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible anti-prostate cancer activity of afzelin, a flavonol glycoside that was previously isolated from Nymphaea odorata. The effect of afzelin on the proliferation of androgen-sensitive LNCaP and androgen-independent PC-3 cells was evaluated by performing a water soluble tetrazolium salt-1 assay. In addition, the effect of afzelin on the cell cycle of the LNCaP and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines was evaluated. Western blot analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of afzelin on the kinases responsible for the regulation of actin organization. Afzelin was identified to inhibit the proliferation of LNCaP and PC3 cells, and block the cell cycle in the G0 phase. The anticancer activity of afzelin in these cells was determined to be due to inhibition of LIM domain kinase 1 expression. Thus, the in vitro efficacy of afzelin against prostate cancer is promising; however, additional studies on different animal models are required to substantiate its anticancer potential.
RESUMO
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in Western countries and is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths. The growth and progression of PCa is related to androgen levels. In cancer, nicroRNAs (miRs) function as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. In androgen-dependent PCa, miRs play a role in the growth, development, progression, and metastasis of the disease, and are also involved in the response to therapy and therefore affect the prognosis. In this review, we focus on the role played by miRs concerning the mechanisms of androgen-dependent PCa.