Affiliations: Department of Human Nutrition, University of Illinois,
Chicago, IL 61801, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Phyllis E. Bowen, Department of
Human Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at
Chicago, 1919 W. Taylor, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Tel.: +1 312 996 0410; Fax: +1
312 413 0319; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Since tomato consumption is associated with decreased risk of
prostate cancer, cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis by
LNCaP human prostate cancer cells might elucidate action of tomatoes. To
discover possible bioactive fractions of tomatoes, whole tomato paste and its
water and hexane extract were used and biomarkers of carcinogenesis were
measured. After 6, 24 and 48 hr of incubation, cells were harvested and
determined cell growth. Tomato paste hexane extract inhibited cell
proliferation by 33% compared to the control after 48 hr incubation. Whole
tomato paste and its water extract showed only modest growth inhibition. Tomato
paste hexane extract at 5 μM lycopene increased
G_2/M-phase of the cell cycle from 13 to 28% and decreased
S-phase cells from 45 to 29%. Apoptosis was observed at the 5 μM hexane
extract at the late stages during 24 and 48 hr treatment. Tomato, therefore,
deserves study as a potential chemopreventive/chemotherapeutic agent.
