This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mantena, S. K. Articles by Katiyar, S. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mantena, S. K. Articles by Katiyar, S. K.

Departments of ¹ Dermatology, ² Environmental Health Sciences, ³ Clinical Nutrition Research Center, and ⁴ Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama

Requests for reprints: Santosh K. Katiyar, Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Volker Hall 557, 1670 University Boulevard, P.O. Box 202, Birmingham, AL 35294. Phone: 205-975-2608; Fax: 205-934-5745. E-mail: skatiyar{at}uab.edu

Berberine, a naturally occurring isoquinoline alkaloid, has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties in some in vitro systems. Here, we report that in vitro treatment of androgen-insensitive (DU145 and PC-3) and androgen-sensitive (LNCaP) prostate cancer cells with berberine inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell death in a dose-dependent (10–100 µmol/L) and time-dependent (24–72 hours) manner. Treatment of nonneoplastic human prostate epithelial cells (PWR-1E) with berberine under identical conditions did not significantly affect their viability. The berberine-induced inhibition of proliferation of DU145, PC-3, and LNCaP cells was associated with G₁-phase arrest, which in DU145 cells was associated with inhibition of expression of cyclins D1, D2, and E and cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 2, Cdk4, and Cdk6 proteins, increased expression of the Cdk inhibitory proteins (Cip1/p21 and Kip1/p27), and enhanced binding of Cdk inhibitors to Cdk. Berberine also significantly (P < 0.05–0.001) enhanced apoptosis of DU145 and LNCaP cells with induction of a higher ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 proteins, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, and activation of caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Pretreatment with the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk partially, but significantly, blocked the berberine-induced apoptosis, as also confirmed by the comet assay analysis of DNA fragmentation, suggesting that berberine-induced apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells is mediated primarily through the caspase-dependent pathway. The effectiveness of berberine in checking the growth of androgen-insensitive, as well as androgen-sensitive, prostate cancer cells without affecting the growth of normal prostate epithelial cells indicates that it may be a promising candidate for prostate cancer therapy. [Mol Cancer Ther 2006;5(2):296–308]

Received 10/31/05; revised 11/14/05; accepted 12/16/05.