Cholestane-3β, 5α, 6β-triol suppresses proliferation, migration, and invasion of human prostate cancer cells

PLoS One. 2013 Jun 13;8(6):e65734. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065734. Print 2013.

Abstract

Oxysterols are oxidation products of cholesterol. Cholestane-3β, 5α, 6β-triol (abbreviated as triol) is one of the most abundant and active oxysterols. Here, we report that triol exhibits anti-cancer activity against human prostate cancer cells. Treatment of cells with triol dose-dependently suppressed proliferation of LNCaP CDXR-3, DU-145, and PC-3 human prostate cancer cells and reduced colony formation in soft agar. Oral administration of triol at 20 mg/kg daily for three weeks significantly retarded the growth of PC-3 xenografts in nude mice. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that triol treatment at 10-40 µM caused G1 cell cycle arrest while the TUNEL assay indicated that triol treatment at 20-40 µM induced apoptosis in all three cell lines. Micro-Western Arrays and traditional Western blotting methods indicated that triol treatment resulted in reduced expression of Akt1, phospho-Akt Ser473, phospho-Akt Thr308, PDK1, c-Myc, and Skp2 protein levels as well as accumulation of the cell cycle inhibitor p27(Kip). Triol treatment also resulted in reduced Akt1 protein expression in PC-3 xenografts. Overexpression of Skp2 in PC-3 cells partially rescued the growth inhibition caused by triol. Triol treatment suppressed migration and invasion of DU-145, PC-3, and CDXR-3 cells. The expression levels of proteins associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition as well as focal adhesion kinase were affected by triol treatment in these cells. Triol treatment caused increased expression of E-cadherin protein levels but decreased expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, Slug, FAK, phospho-FAK Ser722, and phospho-FAK Tyr861 protein levels. Confocal laser microscopy revealed redistribution of β-actin and α-tubulin at the periphery of the CDXR-3 and DU-145 cells. Our observations suggest that triol may represent a promising therapeutic agent for advanced metastatic prostate cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Androgens / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / drug effects*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cholestanols / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / drug effects
  • G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Liver X Receptors
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Orphan Nuclear Receptors / agonists
  • Phosphorylation
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Proteome
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tubulin / metabolism
  • Tumor Burden / drug effects
  • Tumor Stem Cell Assay
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Actins
  • Androgens
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cholestanols
  • Liver X Receptors
  • Orphan Nuclear Receptors
  • Proteome
  • S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins
  • Tubulin
  • cholestane-3,5,6-triol
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt

Grants and funding

This work was supported by CS-101-PP-14 (National Health Research Institutes), NSC 99-2320-B-400-015-MY3 and NSC 101-2325-B-400-014 (National Science Council) in Taiwan for CPC; DOH101-TD-C-111-004 (Department of Health) in Taiwan for JYC and CPC. CYL is supported by DOH101-TD-C-111-004. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript