Betulinic acid and its ionic derivatives impaired growth of prostate cancer cells without induction of GRP78 and CHOP

Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common invasive malignancy for men in USA. The incidence and mortality rates of PCa are significantly higher among African American men, as compared to those Caucasian men. Betulinic acid (BA) a penta-cyclic triterpenoid that often found bark several species plants. It possesses variety biological activities, including anti-cancer activities. We examined cytotoxic effects endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced by BA its ionic derivatives with cells derived from Americans viability all was reduced compounds, cytotoxicity these compounds independent ethnicity androgen dependency. modest on ER proteins when inducers, tunicamycin thapsigargin. induction glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) largely correlated expression C/EBP homologous (CHOP) cleaved poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase (PARP)/caspase-3 cells. In summary, our data demonstrated impaired growth regardless – through GRP78- CHOP-independent pathways.