Background: In recent years, prostate cancer prevails as one of the lead cancers affecting men. Currently, prostate cancer research involves the phytochemical study of plants with anti-tumour effects. This study compares the anti-tumour effects of three plant species indigenous to Iran and their interaction with cluster of differentiation (CD)-82 protein, a therapeutic target found in prostate cancer cells.
Methods: The extracts of Hypericum perforatum, Achillea millefolium, and Aloe vera were prepared and their toxicological, cellular and gene expression responses were evaluated in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells and normal human chondrocyte cell line C28/I2. They were exposed to different concentrations of the plants (10 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL, 1 mg/mL, 100 µg/mL, 10 µg/mL, and 1 µg/mL) at three exposure time points (24, 48, 72 hours) to determine cancer cell cytotoxicity and gene expression profiles.
Results: : Half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) in PC-3 cells ranged from 0.6 to 8.5 mg/mL for H. perforatum extract, from 0.4 to 7.5 mg/mL for A. Millefolium extract, and from 0.2 to 8.0 mg/mL for A. vera extract in a time-dependent manner. A. vera extract caused the highest cell death levels in PC-3 cells (94%) and C28/I2 cells (57%) after 48 hours. A 1.97-, 3.00-, and 3.48-fold increase in relative gene expression of CD82 was observed for H. perforatum, A. millefolium, and A. vera extracts, respectively.
Conclusion: A. vera and A. millefolium extracts are a selective inhibitor of prostate cancer cells and a potent activator of CD82 expression.
Keywords: CD82; Gene expression; Herbal medicine; Prostate cancer.