Chalcones and Dihydrochalcones Augment TRAIL-Mediated Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer Cells

• Main Authors: Wojciech Krol, Andrzej Paradysz, Bogdan Mazur, Zenon P. Czuba, Ewelina Szliszka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2010-08-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: chalcones and dihydrochalcones; TRAIL; apoptosis; chemoprevention; prostate cancer
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/15/8/5336/

Chalcones and dihydrochalcones exhibit chemopreventive and antitumor activity. TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) is a natural endogenous anticancer agent. We examined the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of chalcones and dihydrochalcones on TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by the MTT and LDH assays. The apoptosis was detected using annexin V-FITC by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. The ΔΨm was evaluated using DePsipher staining by fluorescence microscopy. Our study showed that two tested chalcones (chalcone and 2’,6’dihydroxy-4’-methoxychalcone) and three dihydrochalcones (2’,6’-dihydroxy-4’4-dimethoxydihydrochalcone, 2’,6’-dihydroxy-4’-methoxydihydro- chalcone,  and 2’,4’,6’-trihydroxydihydrochalcone, called phloretin) markedly augmented TRAIL-induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity in LNCaP cells and confirmed the significant role of chalcones in chemoprevention of prostate cancer.