Background: Effective treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) remains a major challenge due to chemoresistance to drugs including tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Ethanol and ethanol extracts are known apoptosis inducers. However, cytotoxic effects of ethanol on PCa cells are unclear.
Methods: In this study we utilized PC3 and LNCaP cell culture models. We used immunohistochemical analysis, western blot analysis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) Cell Proliferation Assay, Annexin-V staining and flow cytometry for quantification of apoptosis. In vitro soft agar colony formation and Boyden chamber invasion assays were used. Tumorigenicity was measured in a xenotransplantation mouse model.
Results: Here, we demonstrate that ethanol enhances the apoptosis-inducing potential of TRAIL in androgen-resistant PC3 cells and sensitizes TRAIL-resistant, androgen sensitive LNCaP cells to apoptosis through caspase activation, and a complete cleavage of poly (ADP)-ribose polymerase, which was in association with increased production of ROS. The cytotoxicity of ethanol was suppressed by an antioxidant N-acetyl cystein pretreatment. Furthermore, ethanol in combination with TRAIL increased the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 and decreased the levels of Bcl-2 and phosphorylated-AKT. These molecular changes were accompanied by decreased proliferation, anchorage-independent growth and invasive potential of PC3 and LNCaP cells. In vivo studies using a xenotransplantation mouse model with PC3 cells demonstrated significantly increased apoptosis in tumors treated with ethanol and TRAIL in combination.
Conclusions: Taken together, use of ethanol in combination with TRAIL may be an effective strategy to augment sensitivity to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in PCa cells.