Does Bromelain-Cisplatin Combination Afford In-Vitro Synergistic Anticancer Effects on Human Prostatic Carcinoma Cell Line, PC3?

BACKGROUND: Bromelain enhances anticancer impacts to chemotherapeutic agents. The question as to whether bromelain does promote in-vitro cytotoxic and proapoptotic effects of cisplatin on human prostatic carcinoma PC3 cell line was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PC3 (human prostatic carcinoma) cells were treated either single or in combination with bromelain and/or cisplatin. MTT, clonogenic assay, flow cytometry and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to investigate cell viability, colony formation, proapoptotic potential and p53 gene expression, respectively. RESULTS: Cisplatin (IC(10)) combined with bromelain (IC(40)) significantly affected PC3 cell viability, inhibited colony formation, as well increased p53 proapoptotic gene expression compared to cisplatin single treatment. Nevertheless, bromelain-cisplatin chemoherbal combination did not display any additive proapoptotic effect compared to single treatments. CONCLUSION: Bromelain-cisplatin chemoherbal combination demonstrated synergistic in-vitro anticancer effect on human prostatic carcinoma cell line, PC3, that drastically reduced required cisplatin dose.