Roles of eicosanoids in prostate cancer

Abstract

Arachidonic acid (AA) is metabolized by oxygenases to numerous biologically active eicosanoids. For example, AA is metabolized by COX to prostaglandins (PGs) and thromboxanes, by lipoxygenases (LOX) to leukotrienes and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs), and by cytochrome P450s (CYP) to HETEs and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. COX- and LOX-derived eicosanoids have diverse functions in prostate tumorigenesis while the role of the CYP pathway is currently not understood. Many eicosanoids regulate prostate cancer through activation of various types of receptors, such as PGE2 activation of PGE receptors to induce signal transduction. Recent studies demonstrate that AA-derived endocannabinoids are important regulators of prostate cancer. This review provides an overview of the roles of eicosanoids and endocannabinoids and their potential as therapeutic targets for prostate cancer treatment.

Keywords:

• Arachidonic acid
• Cyclooxygenase
• Cytochrome P450
• Eicosanoids
• Endocannabinoids
• Lipoxygenase
• Prostate cancer