Investigation of apoptotic effects of dexpanthenol on prostate cancer

Apoptosis maintains the homeostasis of the organism in varying conditions. It is a promising mechanism for the treatment of pathogens in humans. Apoptotic pathways are also important in cancer diseases and cancer development in terms of resistance to chemotherapeutics. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed in men and the second in mortality is the leading type of cancer. Pantothenic acid and its reduced derivative dexpanthenol is an important therapeutic agent with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The effects of dexpanthenol on inflammatory pathways and apoptotic pathways that trigger cell death are intriguing. In addition, the use of some antioxidants in the treatment of various types of cancer and the detection of their positive effects in recent years have encouraged new studies in this area. In our study, it was aimed to determine how it will affect caspase-3, bax, bcl-2 protein levels and activities in the treatment of human prostate cancer cells with dexpanthenol. Human prostate cancer cells PC3 (ATCC CRL1435) were used by cell culture method. Protein quantification of homogenized cells was performed. Protein levels and activities of mediators in inflammatory and apoptotic pathways such as caspase-3, bax and bcl-2 were analyzed by ELISA.The findings of our study showed that Dexpanthenol did not statistically decrease bax, bcl-2 protein expression levels in PC-3 prostate cancer cells and did not statistically increase the amount of caspase-3 protein. As a result, it was shown that dexpanthenol did not have a significant effect on the proliferation of PC-3 cells on intracellular apoptotic pathways.