Bergamottin a CYP3A inhibitor found in grapefruit juice inhibits prostate cancer cell growth by downregulating androgen receptor signaling and promoting G0/G1 cell cycle block and apoptosis

PLoS One. 2021 Sep 27;16(9):e0257984. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257984. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related death in American men. Several therapies have been developed to treat advanced prostate cancer, but these therapies often have severe side effects. To improve the outcome with fewer side effects we focused on the furanocoumarin bergamottin, a natural product found in grapefruit juice and a potent CYP3A inhibitor. Our recent studies have shown that CYP3A5 inhibition can block androgen receptor (AR) signaling, critical for prostate cancer growth. We observed that bergamottin reduces prostate cancer (PC) cell growth by decreasing both total and nuclear AR (AR activation) reducing downstream AR signaling. Bergamottin's role in reducing AR activation was confirmed by confocal microscopy studies and reduction in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, which is a marker for prostate cancer. Further studies revealed that bergamottin promotes cell cycle block and accumulates G0/G1 cells. The cell cycle block was accompanied with reduction in cyclin D, cyclin B, CDK4, P-cdc2 (Y15) and P-wee1 (S642). We also observed that bergamottin triggers apoptosis in prostate cancer cell lines as evident by TUNEL staining and PARP cleavage. Our data suggests that bergamottin may suppress prostate cancer growth, especially in African American (AA) patients carrying wild type CYP3A5 often presenting aggressive disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Androgen Receptor Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Fractionation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Citrus paradisi / chemistry
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Down-Regulation
  • Fruit and Vegetable Juices / analysis
  • Furocoumarins / therapeutic use*
  • G1 Phase / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Receptors, Androgen / drug effects
  • Resting Phase, Cell Cycle / drug effects*

Substances

  • Androgen Receptor Antagonists
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors
  • Furocoumarins
  • Receptors, Androgen
  • bergamottin