Vitamin E Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin E, including details on benefits, dosage, supplements, antioxidants.

Gamma-tocopherol induces apoptosis in androgen-responsive LNCaP prostate cancer cells via caspase-dependent and independent mechanisms.

Jiang Q, Wong J, Ames BN

Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. Qjiang@purdue.edu

We found that gamma-tocopherol, the predominant vitamin E form in diets, but not alpha-tocopherol, which is the exclusive form of vitamin E in most supplements, exhibited antiproliferation effect on prostate (PC-3, LNCaP) and lung (A549) cancer cells. gamma-Tocopherol induced apoptosis in androgen-sensitive LNCaP but not androgen-resistant PC-3 cells. Consequently, gamma-tocopherol treatment caused cytochrome c release and caspase-9, -3 and -7 activation. However, the apoptosis could not be completely reversed by an irreversible pancaspase inhibitor, indicating that an alternative caspase-independent pathway may also be involved. Our study suggests that gamma-tocopherol may be valuable in the prevention and therapy for certain types of cancer.

Published 8 March 2005 in Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1031: 399-400.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Vitamin E Research Today. All Rights Reserved.