Planta Med 2021; 87(08): 620-630
DOI: 10.1055/a-1348-1634
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers

Peperomin E Induces Apoptosis and Cytoprotective Autophagy in Human Prostate Cancer DU145 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Min Lin
1   School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
,
Qiannan Zhu
1   School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
,
1   School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
2   Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
,
Jigang Pan
3   School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
› Author Affiliations

Supported by: National Natural Science Foundation of China 31960188 Supported by: Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province 1808085MH248
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Abstract

Peperomin E was first isolated from Peperomia dindygulensis, an anticarcinogenic herb, and exhibited anticancer activity in many cancer cell lines. To date, it is unknown whether peperomin E has an effect on human prostate cancer DU145 cells in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we used MTT to assess the proliferation inhibition activity of peperomin E in DU145 cells in vitro and observed the cell morphological changes by a phase contrast microscope. A DU145 cell xenograft tumor mouse model was used to evaluate the efficacy of peperomin E in vivo. Apoptosis rates were measured by flow cytometry, and protein expression levels were analyzed by western blot. The results showed that peperomin E significantly inhibited the proliferation of DU145 cells in vitro and reduced the weight and volume of tumors in vivo. Peperomin E also significantly induced the apoptosis and autophagic response of DU145 cells. The autophagic inhibitors LY294002 and chloroquine enhanced peperomin E-mediated inhibition of DU145 cell proliferation and induction of DU145 cell apoptosis. The results also showed that the Akt/mTOR pathway participated in peperomin E-induced autophagy in DU145 cells. In summary, our finding showed that peperomin E had an effect on DU145 cells in vitro and in a nude mouse DU145 cell xenograft model in vivo, demonstrated that peperomin E could significantly induce apoptosis and the autophagic response in DU145 cells and that autophagy played a cytoprotective role in peperomin E-treated DU145 cells. These results suggest that the combination of peperomin E treatment and autophagic inhibition has potential for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Supporting Information



Publication History

Received: 02 September 2020

Accepted after revision: 01 January 2021

Article published online:
21 January 2021

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