An Evaluation of the Anti-neoplastic Activity of Curcumin in Prostate Cancer Cell Lines

Objective: The aim of our study is to investigate the anti-neoplastic effect of curcumin in prostate cancer cell lines. Specifically, we are using the LNCaP cell line and another prostate cell line developed in our laboratory, PcBral. The PcBral cells were derived from a localized, obstructive prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9 (4+5). Materials and Methods: A prostate cancer cell line was isolated from a localized, obstructive prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9 (4+5), and it was characterized using immunohistochemistry. After six passages, the new cell line was treated with varying doses of curcumin: 10 mu M, 25 mu M or 50 mu M. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry using Annexin V FITC. For comparison, the same experiment was performed using the well-established metastatic prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP. Results: Increasing concentrations of curcumin promoted more apoptosis in the PcBral cells. Exposure to 10 and 25 mu M curcumin induced apoptosis in 31.9% and 52.2% of cells, respectively. Late apoptosis was induced in 37% of cells after treatment with 10 mu M curcumin and 35% of cells with a 25 mu M treatment. Necrosis accounted for less than 10% of the death in these cells at those two concentrations. When curcumin was used at 50 mu M, apoptosis was observed in 64.3% of the cells. Including late apoptosis and necrosis, 98.6% of the cells died in response to 50 mu M curcumin. Results with the LNCaP cells were similar although late apoptosis was the main phenomenon at 25 mu M. Conclusion: We have shown that curcumin acts on localized prostate cancer to induce apoptosis and may therefore be an option as a future therapeutic agent.