Dichloroacetate enhances the cytotoxic effect of Cisplatin via decreasing the level of FOXM1 in prostate cancer

Improving the effectiveness of chemotherapy is a promising strategy for tumor patients. Recent studies have proved that Dichloroacetate ( DCA) could dramatically enhance the anti-tumor effect of cisplatin in several tumor cells including prostate cancer, but the detailed mechanisms still need to be further investigated. In the present study, we use CCK-8 assay and Trypan blue exclusion assay to evaluate the anti-tumor effect, while we utilized western bolt to detect the change of molecular protein level. Interestingly, we at the first time found that DCA enhances the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin via decreasing the level of FOXM1 in prostate cancer. The down-regulation of FOXM1 leads to increased ROS in prostate cancer cells, which may be an important mechanism for the synergistic effect of Dichloroacetate and Cisplatin. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that targeting FOXM1 by DCA could efficaciously enhance the cytotoxic effects of Cisplatin in prostate cancer.