Pirfenidone, an Anti-Fibrotic Drug, Suppresses the Growth of Human Prostate Cancer Cells by Inducing G(1) Cell Cycle Arrest

Pirfenidone (PFD) is an anti-fibrotic drug used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by inducing G(1) cell cycle arrest in fibroblasts. We hypothesize that PFD can induce G(1) cell cycle arrest in different types of cells, including cancer cells. To investigate the effects of PFD treatment on the growth of human prostate cancer (PCa) cells, we used an androgen-sensitive human PCa cell line (LNCaP) and its sublines (androgen-low-sensitive E9 and F10 cells and androgen-insensitive AIDL cells), as well as an androgen-insensitive human PCa cell line (PC-3). PFD treatment suppressed the growth of all PCa cells. Transforming growth factor β1 secretion was significantly increased in PFD-treated PCa cells. In both LNCaP and PC-3 cells, PFD treatment increased the population of cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase, which was accompanied by a decrease in the S/G(2) cell population. CDK2 protein expression was clearly decreased in PFD-treated LNCaP and PC-3 cells, whereas p21 protein expression was increased in only PFD-treated LNCaP cells. In conclusion, PFD may serve as a novel therapeutic drug that induces G(1) cell cycle arrest in human PCa cells independently of androgen sensitivity. Thus, in the tumor microenvironment, PFD might target not only fibroblasts, but also heterogeneous PCa cells of varying androgen-sensitivity levels.