Novel Lignan and stilbenoid mixture shows anticarcinogenic efficacy in preclinical PC-3M-luc2 prostate cancer model

PLoS One. 2014 Apr 3;9(4):e93764. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093764. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer of men in the Western world, and novel approaches for prostate cancer risk reduction are needed. Plant-derived phenolic compounds attenuate prostate cancer growth in preclinical models by several mechanisms, which is in line with epidemiological findings suggesting that consumption of plant-based diets is associated with low risk of prostate cancer. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a novel lignan-stilbenoid mixture in PC-3M-luc2 human prostate cancer cells in vitro and in orthotopic xenografts. Lignan and stilbenoid -rich extract was obtained from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) knots. Pine knot extract as well as stilbenoids (methyl pinosylvin and pinosylvin), and lignans (matairesinol and nortrachelogenin) present in pine knot extract showed antiproliferative and proapoptotic efficacy at ≥ 40 μM concentration in vitro. Furthermore, pine knot extract derived stilbenoids enhanced tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induced apoptosis already at ≥ 10 μM concentrations. In orthotopic PC-3M-luc2 xenograft bearing immunocompromized mice, three-week peroral exposure to pine knot extract (52 mg of lignans and stilbenoids per kg of body weight) was well tolerated and showed anti-tumorigenic efficacy, demonstrated by multivariate analysis combining essential markers of tumor growth (i.e. tumor volume, vascularization, and cell proliferation). Methyl pinosylvin, pinosylvin, matairesinol, nortrachelogenin, as well as resveratrol, a metabolite of pinosylvin, were detected in serum at total concentration of 7-73 μM, confirming the bioavailability of pine knot extract derived lignans and stilbenoids. In summary, our data indicates that pine knot extract is a novel and cost-effective source of resveratrol, methyl pinosylvin and other bioactive lignans and stilbenoids. Pine knot extract shows anticarcinogenic efficacy in preclinical prostate cancer model, and our in vitro data suggests that compounds derived from the extract may have potential as novel chemosensitizers to TRAIL. These findings promote further research on health-related applications of wood biochemicals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Furans / pharmacology
  • Furans / therapeutic use
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Lignans / pharmacology
  • Lignans / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Pinus sylvestris*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Stilbenes / pharmacology
  • Stilbenes / therapeutic use
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Furans
  • Lignans
  • Plant Extracts
  • Stilbenes
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
  • matairesinol
  • nortrachelogenin
  • pinosylvin

Grants and funding

This project was supported by the FIBIC Finnish Bioeconomy Cluster, the BioRefine program of Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, and Academy of Finland. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.