Enterolactone May Prevent Prostate Cancer Progression

PALMERSTON NORTH, New Zealand—A recent study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research found the antiproliferative activity of enterolactone (ENL), a pure mammalian lignan, is a consequence of altered expression of cell cycle associated genes and provides novel molecular evidence for the antiproliferative properties of a pure lignan in prostate cancer (2008;52(5):567-80) (DOI:10.1002/mnfr.200700052). Treatment with a subcytotoxic concentration of ENL (60 M for 72 h) reduced cell density (P< .001), metabolic activity (P<0.001) and secretion of prostate-specific antigens (PSA) (P=0.05), and induced apoptosis (P=0.001), compared to untreated cells. Co-treatment with 10 M etoposide increased apoptosis by 50.17 percent (SD 0.02, P<0.001). Additionally, several key genes were beneficially regulated by ENL treatment (P<0.05).