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Effect of lycopene isolated from Chlorella marina on proliferation and apoptosis in human prostate cancer cell line PC-3

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Even though the role of lycopene from tomato (trans form) in controlling prostate cancer was reported, lycopene (cis and trans 60:40) isolated from green algae Chlorella marina was not reported so far. The present study aimed to assess the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effect of lycopene from a new source and to compare the activity with available trans lycopene by using androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell lines. Exposure of PC-3 and DU-145 cell lines to algal lycopene (AL) at a dose of 20 and 50 μM significantly inhibited the growth and colony formation, and the percentage of inhibition was higher than tomatal lycopene (TL)-treated groups. The stability of AL in cell culture medium was high, when compared to TL under standard cell culture conditions. The level of lycopene was not detected in PC-3 cell lines cultured in medium lacking lycopene. Staining cells with acridine orange and ethidium bromide, the PC-3 control cells showed largely non-fragmented intact nucleoid. Stronger apoptosis signal was induced with higher concentrations (50 μM) of algal lycopene. Increased DNA damage was observed in AL- and TL-treated cells which appear as comet during single-cell gel electrophoresis. Flow cytometry results revealed that AL caused PC-3 cells to accumulate in the G0/G1 phase and to undergo apoptosis. The effect was higher in AL groups than TL-treated groups. Algal lycopene showed very significant anti-proliferative and apoptotic effect in human prostate cancer cell lines. Therefore, algal lycopene from C.marina would be recommended for the treatment of prostate cancer.

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Acknowledgments

We express gratitude to Dr. Hari, Sree Chithra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences, Trivandrum, India, for his help in the analysis of HPLC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, India

    G. L. Renju & G. Muraleedhara Kurup

  2. Sri Nidhi’s Research and Diagnostic Centre, Tirupathi, Andra Pradesh, India

    Venkata Reddy Bandugula

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  1. G. L. Renju
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  2. G. Muraleedhara Kurup
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  3. Venkata Reddy Bandugula
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Correspondence to G. Muraleedhara Kurup.

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Renju, G.L., Muraleedhara Kurup, G. & Bandugula, V.R. Effect of lycopene isolated from Chlorella marina on proliferation and apoptosis in human prostate cancer cell line PC-3. Tumor Biol. 35, 10747–10758 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-2339-5

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