Synergistic effects of hormone therapy drugs and usnic acid on hormone receptor‐positive breast and prostate cancer cells

• Published in: Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology Vol. 33; no. 8; pp. e22338 - n/a
• Main Authors: Guney Eskiler, Gamze, Eryilmaz, Isil Ezgi, Yurdacan, Beste, Egeli, Unal, Cecener, Gulsah, Tunca, Berrin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.08.2019
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Benzofurans - administration & dosage; Benzofurans - therapeutic use; Breast; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer therapies; Cell cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Combination treatment; Drug Synergism; Drugs; Endocrine therapy; Enzalutamide; Female; G1 phase; Hormone receptor‐positive cancers; Hormone replacement therapy; Humans; Male; Prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - metabolism; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Synergistic effect; Tamoxifen; Therapy; Usnic acid; Hormone receptor-positive cancers; Combination treatment; Usnic acid; Enzalutamide; Tamoxifen
• ISSN: 1095-6670; 1099-0461
• DOI: 10.1002/jbt.22338

The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of usnic acid (UA) and Tamoxifen (Tam) or Enzalutamide (Enz) on hormone receptor‐positive breast and prostate cancer (BC and PC), respectively. The antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of Tam or Enz alone and in combination with UA on MCF7 and LNCaP cancer cells were detected. The results of the WST‐1 assay indicated that UA was a promising anticancer compound that significantly enhanced the effectiveness of hormone therapy drugs compared with each drug alone (combination index < 1). In addition, the combination of UA with Tam or Enz remarkably induced more cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and apoptosis than only drug‐treated cells (P < 0.01). Consequently, our findings suggest that the combination of UA with Tam or Enz may be a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of BC and PC and further studies are required to exploit the potential mechanisms of synergistic effects.