Lupane Triterpenoids and New Derivatives as Antiproliferative Agents Against Prostate Cancer Cells

Abstract

Background/aim: This study examined the potential role of natural triterpenoids lupeol, calenduladiol and heliantriol B2, and a set of 19 derivatives, as antiproliferative and antimetastatic agents against prostate cancer cells.

Materials and methods: Natural triterpenoids were isolated from Chuqiraga erinaceae. Analogs were obtained by transformations of lupeol and calenduladiol. The effects of compounds on PC-3 and LNCaP cells were determined using the MTT assay. Compounds with half-maximal inhibitory concentration <70 μM were evaluated as antimetastatic agents by a wound-healing assay.

Results: Lupeol-3β-sulfate, a new semisynthetic lupane, was the most active compound. In general, sulfated derivatives displayed higher activity than the lead against both cell lines. A new analog, calenduladiol-3β-monosulfate, inhibited the migration of PC-3 cells; heliantriol B2 and 3β-aminolupane inhibited the migration of LNCaP cells in a concentration-dependent manner.

Conclusion: Our study provides novel agents with cytotoxic effects on prostate cancer cells, which may represent a potential new therapeutic approach for prostate cancer.

Keywords: Triterpenoids; lupane derivatives; prostate cancer; semisynthesis.