ArticleCancer cell international2019
Combination of the natural product capsaicin and docetaxel synergistically kills human prostate cancer cells through the metabolic regulator AMP-activated kinase.
Article in Cancer cell international, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 43 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
43 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 87 citations in OpenAlex.
- Capsaicin: A Two-Decade Systematic Review of Global Research Output and Recent Advances Against Human Cancer.Frontiers in oncology · 2022Pooled it
- Proteomic profiling reveals that DPP4 overexpression increases cell adhesion, inhibits cell migration, and restores androgen sensitivity in prostate cancer.Bioscience reports · 2026Article
- Transferrin-Conjugated, Camptothecin-Bearing Dendrimersomes Entrapping Docetaxel as a Dual-Drug Nanoplatform for Targeted Prostate Cancer Therapy.Pharmaceutics · 2026Article
- In Silico and In Vitro Investigation of Apoptosis-Mediated Antiproliferative Activity of Capsaicin and Alpha-Lipoic Acid Against Prostate Cancer Cells.Current issues in molecular biology · 2026Article
- Improved Chemosensitivity in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: The Synergistic Effects of S-Adenosylmethionine and Cabazitaxel.Cancer medicine · 2026Article
- Synergistic inhibition of metastatic melanoma by carvacrol and chloroquine: an in vitro and in silico investigation of apoptosis and molecular targets.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2026Article
- TRPV1 Downregulation Impairs Prostate Cancer Growth: Functional and Translational Insights from Cellular andInternational journal of biological sciences · 2026Article
- Identification of potential key genes that respond to capsaicin treatment in ER-positive breast cancer: An integrated analysis.PloS one · 2026Article
- Herb-drug interactions in oncology: pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic mechanisms and risk prediction.Chinese medicine · 2025Review
- Daidzein and puerarin synergistically suppress gastric cancer proliferation via STAT3/FAK pathway Inhibition.Hereditas · 2025Article
- Trillin inhibits MAP3K11/NF-κB/COX-2 signaling pathways through upregulation of miR-145-5p in castration-resistant prostate cancer.iScience · 2025Article
- SBFI-26 enhances apoptosis in docetaxel-treated triple-negative breast cancer cells by increasing ROS levels.BioImpacts : BI · 2025Article
- Unraveling TRPV1's Role in Cancer: Expression, Modulation, and Therapeutic Opportunities with Capsaicin.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Capsaicin combined with cisplatin inhibits TGF-β1-induced EMT and TSCC cells migration via the Claudin-1/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.Cancer cell international · 2024Article
- Unlocking the Gateway: The Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of the p53 Family Driven by the Nuclear Pores and Its Implication for the Therapeutic Approach in Cancer.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Chili pepper extracts, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin as potential anticancer agents targeting topoisomerases.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2024Article
- Role of Phytoconstituents in Cancer Treatment: A Review.Recent advances in food, nutrition & agriculture · 2024Review
- Improving the Antitumor Effect of Chemotherapy with Ocoxin as a Novel Adjuvant Agent to Treat Prostate Cancer.Nutrients · 2023Article
- Inhibition of castration-resistant prostate cancer growth by genistein through suppression of AKR1C3.Food & nutrition research · 2023Article
- Receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 inhibitor strictinin exhibits anti-cancer properties against highly aggressive androgen-independent prostate cancer.Exploration of targeted anti-tumor therapy · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCurrent chemotherapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer is established on taxane-based compounds like docetaxel. However, eventually, the development of toxic side effects and resistance limits the therapeutic benefit being the major concern in the treatment of prostate cancer. Combination therapies in many cases, enhance drug efficacy and delay the appearance of undesired effects, representing an important option for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. In this study, we tested the efficacy of the combination of docetaxel and capsaicin, the pungent ingredient of hot chili peppers, on prostate cancer cells proliferation.
methodsProstate cancer LNCaP and PC3 cell lines were used in this study. Levels of total and phosphorylated forms of Akt, mTOR, S6, LKB1, AMPK and ACC were determined by Western blot. AMPK, LKB1 and Akt knock down was performed by siRNA. PTEN was overexpressed by transient transfection with plasmids. Xenograft prostate tumors were induced in nude mice and treatments (docetaxel and capsaicin) were administered intraperitoneally. Statistical analyses were performed with GraphPad software. Combination index was calculated with Compusyn software.
resultsDocetaxel and capsaicin synergistically inhibited the growth of LNCaP and PC3 cells, with a combination index lower than 1 for most of the combinations tested. Co-treatment with docetaxel and capsaicin notably decreased Akt and its downstream targets mTOR and S6 phosphorylation. Overexpression of PTEN phosphatase abrogated the synergistic antiproliferative effect of docetaxel and capsaicin. The combined treatment also increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) and the phosphorylation of its substrate ACC. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of AMPK with dorsomorphin (compound C) as well as knock down by siRNA of AMPK or its upstream kinase LKB1, abolished the synergy of docetaxel and capsaicin. Mechanistically, we showed that the synergistic anti-proliferative effect may be attributed to two independent effects: Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway by one side, and AMPK activation by the other. In vivo experiments confirmed the synergistic effects of docetaxel and capsaicin in reducing the tumor growth of PC3 cells.
conclusionCombination of docetaxel and capsaicin represents a therapeutically relevant approach for the treatment of Prostate Cancer.
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