Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of angelicin in highly invasive prostate cancer cells

Abstract

Purpose: To demonstrate the anti-proliferative activity of angelicin against human prostate cancer (PC- 3) cells and to evaluate its mechanism Methods: MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay was used to assess the anticancer activity (growth inhibition) of angelicin in PC-3 cells. Fluorescence microscopy using Hoechst 33258 staining and inverted phase microscopy was employed to evaluate the effect of angelicin on nuclear morphology. Flow cytometry, using propidium iodide, was employed to study cell cycle-related effects of angelicin. Apoptosis induction by angelicin was examined by annexin V/PI assay. Results: Angelicin induced potent growth inhibitory effects in human prostate cancer (PC-3) cells in a dose-dependent manner. Angelicin-treated cells exhibited chromatin condensation which implied an early apoptotic event. Inverted phase microscopy revealed that reduction of cell population occurred with increase in the angelicin dose. Flow cytometry results showed that angelicin induced cell cycle arrest in the sub-G1 phase. Angelicin induced both early and late apoptosis in PC-3 cells following a dose-dependent pattern. Conclusion: Angelicin inhibits the growth of PC-3 human prostate cancer cells in vitro by inducing early and late apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and chromatin condensation.