Purpose: Oxypeucedanin has been reported to have various biological activities. We investigated the efficacy of a coumarin compound, oxypeucedanin, from Ostericum koreanum against the human prostate carcinoma cell line DU145.
Material and methods: Oxypeucedanin (C(16)H(14)O(5), mw: 286) was isolated through silica gel chromatography and characterized by NMR. The cells were treated with oxypeucedanin (25, 50, and 100 microM) for 24-72 hours, and cell growth and death were then assayed. The cell cycle progression and apoptotic effects were also assessed by western blotting.
Results: Treatment with oxypeucedanin inhibited cell growth and induced cell death in DU145 cells. Furthermore, oxypeucedanin-induced cell growth inhibition was associated with an increase in G2-M arrest in cell cycle progression in DU145 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. G2-M arrest by oxypeucedanin was associated with decreased levels of cyclin A, cyclin B1, Cdc2, and pCdc2. Oxypeucedanin-induced cell death was associated with significant increases in apoptosis and cleaved caspase-3 and poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase.
Conclusion: These finding suggest a novel anticancer effect for oxypeucedanin, mediated via induction of G2-M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells.