Sweet Cherry Extract Targets the Hallmarks of Cancer in Prostate Cells: Diminished Viability, Increased Apoptosis and Suppressed Glycolytic Metabolism

Abstract

The present work evaluated the anticancer properties of sweet cherry (Prunus avium) extract on human prostate cells. Several sweet cherry cultivars from Fundão (Portugal) were methanol-extracted and their phytochemical composition characterized. The Saco “late harvest” extract was highly-enriched in anthocyanins and selected for use in biological assays. Non-neoplastic (PNT1A) and neoplastic (LNCaP and PC3) human prostate cells were treated with 0–2,000 μg/ml of extract for 48–96 h. Cell viability was evaluated by the MTT assay. Apoptosis, oxidative stress, and glycolytic metabolism were assessed by Western blotting and enzymatic assays. Glucose consumption and lactate production were measured spectrophotometrically. Saco cherry extract diminished the viability of neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells, whereas enhancing apoptosis in LNCaP. Cherry extract-treatment also diminished oxidative damage and suppressed glycolytic metabolism in LNCaP cells. These findings widened the knowledge on the mechanisms by which cherry extract modulate cell physiology, demonstrating their broad action over the hallmarks of cancer.

Disclosure Statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by FEDER funds through the POCI - COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programme Competitiveness and Internationalization in Axis I - Strengthening research, technological development and innovation (Project No. 007491; 029114) and National Funds by FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology (Project UID/Multi/00709/2013). Fundão City Hall partially funded the study and a research fellowship for Vaz C. V. Cardoso H. J. was recipient of an FCT fellowship (SFRH/BD/111351/2015).

Notes on contributors

Gonçalo R. Silva

Gonçalo R. Silva and Cátia V. Vaz performed all the experiments and drafted the main manuscript text. Beatriz Catalão and Susana Ferreira characterized the phytochemical of sweet cherry extracts. Henrique J. Cardoso performed some Western blot experiments and constructed final versions of images and graphs. Ana P. Duarte designed the experiments for extraction and characterization of cherry extracts, reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript. Sílvia Socorro conceived and designed the experimental work, reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.