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Pterostilbene and its emerging antineoplastic effects: a prospective treatment option for systemic malignancies
The American Journal of Surgery (2013) 205, 483
Letter to the Editor
Pterostilbene and its emerging antineoplastic effects: a prospective treatment option for systemic malignancies To the Editor:
Shailendra Kapoor, M.D. private practice Mechanicsville, VA
1
The recent article by McCormack et al regarding pterostilbene and its antiproliferative effects in breast cancer provided for stimulating reading. Pterostilbene is rapidly emerging as a natural therapeutic candidate in the prevention and treatment of other systemic malignancies. For instance, pterostilbene enhances mitochondrial membrane depolarization and upregulates the activation of Bax in breast carcinoma cells.2,3 As a consequence, there is accentuated manganese superoxide dismutase synthesis, resulting in decreased proliferation in the malignant cells. Simultaneous enhancement of cytochrome C function is also responsible in part for these antineoplastic effects. Pterostilbene administration also enhances autophagy in cancerous breast tissue, further contributing to its cancer-mitigating potential.4 In fact, pterostilbene shows synergistic activity when administered along with agents such as tamoxifen.5 Similarly, pterostilbene exerts inhibitory effects on prostate carcinoma cells by accentuating the cellular expression of p21.6 Simultaneously, it increases the expression of p53 in prostatic carcinoma cells and thereby induces apoptosis in these malignant cells. Pterostilbene also augments autophagic effects in bladder cancer tissue. It mediates these autophagic effects by virtue of its attenuative effects on the TOR/p70S6K pathway.7 Increased levels of cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase are observed after pterostilbene administration in colon cancer cell lines.8 This results in subsequent induction of apoptosis in the malignant cancerous tissue. Pterostilbene also induces apoptosis in pulmonary carcinomas, thereby significantly attenuating tumorogenesis in these cancers.9 These data clearly indicate the significant antiproliferative effects of pterostilbene and the need for further studies to fully investigate and elaborate its antineoplastic effects.
0002-9610/$ - see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2012.10.031
References 1. McCormack D, Schneider J, McDonald D, et al. The antiproliferative effects of pterostilbene on breast cancer in vitro are via inhibition of constitutive and leptin-induced Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription activation. Am J Surg 2011;202:541–4. 2. Alosi JA, McDonald DE, Schneider JS, et al. Pterostilbene inhibits breast cancer in vitro through mitochondrial depolarization and induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis. J Surg Res 2010;161: 195–201. 3. Moon D, McCormack D, McDonald D, et al. Pterostilbene induces mitochondrially derived apoptosis in breast cancer cells in vitro. J Surg Res; 2012, [Epub ahead of print]. 4. Wang Y, Ding L, Wang X, et al. Pterostilbene simultaneously induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and cyto-protective autophagy in breast cancer cells. Am J Transl Res 2012;4:44–51. 5. Mannal P, McDonald D, McFadden D. Pterostilbene and tamoxifen show an additive effect against breast cancer in vitro. Am J Surg 2010;200:577–80. 6. Lin VC, Tsai YC, Lin JN, et al. Activation of AMPK by pterostilbene suppresses lipogenesis and cell-cycle progression in p53 positive and negative human prostate cancer cells. J Agric Food Chem 2012;60: 6399–407. 7. Chen RJ, Ho CT, Wang YJ. Pterostilbene induces autophagy and apoptosis in sensitive and chemoresistant human bladder cancer cells. Mol Nutr Food Res 2010;54:1819–32. 8. Nutakul W, Sobers HS, Qiu P, et al. Inhibitory effects of resveratrol and pterostilbene on human colon cancer cells: a side-by-side comparison. J Agric Food Chem 2011;59:10964–70. 9. Schneider JG, Alosi JA, McDonald DE, et al. Pterostilbene inhibits lung cancer through induction of apoptosis. J Surg Res 2010;161:18–22.
Letter to the Editor
Pterostilbene and its emerging antineoplastic effects: a prospective treatment option for systemic malignancies To the Editor:
Shailendra Kapoor, M.D. private practice Mechanicsville, VA
1
The recent article by McCormack et al regarding pterostilbene and its antiproliferative effects in breast cancer provided for stimulating reading. Pterostilbene is rapidly emerging as a natural therapeutic candidate in the prevention and treatment of other systemic malignancies. For instance, pterostilbene enhances mitochondrial membrane depolarization and upregulates the activation of Bax in breast carcinoma cells.2,3 As a consequence, there is accentuated manganese superoxide dismutase synthesis, resulting in decreased proliferation in the malignant cells. Simultaneous enhancement of cytochrome C function is also responsible in part for these antineoplastic effects. Pterostilbene administration also enhances autophagy in cancerous breast tissue, further contributing to its cancer-mitigating potential.4 In fact, pterostilbene shows synergistic activity when administered along with agents such as tamoxifen.5 Similarly, pterostilbene exerts inhibitory effects on prostate carcinoma cells by accentuating the cellular expression of p21.6 Simultaneously, it increases the expression of p53 in prostatic carcinoma cells and thereby induces apoptosis in these malignant cells. Pterostilbene also augments autophagic effects in bladder cancer tissue. It mediates these autophagic effects by virtue of its attenuative effects on the TOR/p70S6K pathway.7 Increased levels of cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase are observed after pterostilbene administration in colon cancer cell lines.8 This results in subsequent induction of apoptosis in the malignant cancerous tissue. Pterostilbene also induces apoptosis in pulmonary carcinomas, thereby significantly attenuating tumorogenesis in these cancers.9 These data clearly indicate the significant antiproliferative effects of pterostilbene and the need for further studies to fully investigate and elaborate its antineoplastic effects.
0002-9610/$ - see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2012.10.031
References 1. McCormack D, Schneider J, McDonald D, et al. The antiproliferative effects of pterostilbene on breast cancer in vitro are via inhibition of constitutive and leptin-induced Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription activation. Am J Surg 2011;202:541–4. 2. Alosi JA, McDonald DE, Schneider JS, et al. Pterostilbene inhibits breast cancer in vitro through mitochondrial depolarization and induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis. J Surg Res 2010;161: 195–201. 3. Moon D, McCormack D, McDonald D, et al. Pterostilbene induces mitochondrially derived apoptosis in breast cancer cells in vitro. J Surg Res; 2012, [Epub ahead of print]. 4. Wang Y, Ding L, Wang X, et al. Pterostilbene simultaneously induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and cyto-protective autophagy in breast cancer cells. Am J Transl Res 2012;4:44–51. 5. Mannal P, McDonald D, McFadden D. Pterostilbene and tamoxifen show an additive effect against breast cancer in vitro. Am J Surg 2010;200:577–80. 6. Lin VC, Tsai YC, Lin JN, et al. Activation of AMPK by pterostilbene suppresses lipogenesis and cell-cycle progression in p53 positive and negative human prostate cancer cells. J Agric Food Chem 2012;60: 6399–407. 7. Chen RJ, Ho CT, Wang YJ. Pterostilbene induces autophagy and apoptosis in sensitive and chemoresistant human bladder cancer cells. Mol Nutr Food Res 2010;54:1819–32. 8. Nutakul W, Sobers HS, Qiu P, et al. Inhibitory effects of resveratrol and pterostilbene on human colon cancer cells: a side-by-side comparison. J Agric Food Chem 2011;59:10964–70. 9. Schneider JG, Alosi JA, McDonald DE, et al. Pterostilbene inhibits lung cancer through induction of apoptosis. J Surg Res 2010;161:18–22.