Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1344: The Therapeutic Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Gnetin C, a Natural Compound from the Melinjo Plant, in a Preclinical Mouse Model of Advanced Prostate Cancer

In this study, we employed a prostate-specific transgenic mouse model with MTA1 overexpression on the background of phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten) null (R26MTA1; Ptenf/f) and PC3M prostate cancer cells which recapitulate altered molecular pathways in advanced prostate cancer. Mechanistically, the MTA1 knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of MTA1 by gnetin C (dimer resveratrol) in cultured PC3M cells resulted in the marked inactivation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. In vivo, mice tolerated a daily intraperitoneal treatment of gnetin C (7 mg/kg bw) for 12 weeks without any sign of toxicity. Treatment with gnetin C markedly reduced cell proliferation and angiogenesis and promoted apoptosis in mice with advanced prostate cancer. Further, in addition to decreasing MTA1 levels in prostate epithelial cells, gnetin C significantly reduced mTOR signaling activity in prostate tissues, including the activity of mTOR-target proteins: p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K) and eukaryotic translational initiation factor 4E (elF4E)-binding protein 1 (4EBP1). Collectively, these findings established gnetin C as a new natural compound with anticancer properties against MTA1/AKT/mTOR-activated prostate cancer, with potential as monotherapy and as a possible adjunct to clinically approved mTOR pathway inhibitors in the future.
Source: Cancers - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research