Seyed Navid Goftari - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Hamid Sadeghian - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Ahmad Reza Bahrami - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Fatemeh Maleki - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world. Due to the fact that treatment ofmany cancers is still not efficient, the search for finding novel therapeutic approachescontinues. The aim of this study was to synthesize a monoterpenoid called stylosin andinvestigate its cytotoxic and anticancer effects on prostate cancer cell line â€oePC3†andnormal human fibroblast â€oeHFF3†cells in vitro. To do so, stylosin was first synthesizedthrough esterification reaction of fenchol and vanillic acid. Cytotoxicity and cell survival werethen assessed by means of spectroscopy via alamar blue reduction rate under variousconcentrations of stylosin during 3 days of treatment. Results indicated that stylosin hadcytotoxic effects on PC3 cells with IC50 values of 30.95, 30.61 and 27.01 Âμg/mL after 24, 48and 72 hours of treatments, respectively. The IC50 values of stylosin on HFF3 cells wereidentified as 49.73, 47.93 and 41.91 Âμg/mL after 24, 48 and 72 hours of its administration.Statistical analysis revealed that IC50 values of stylosin on PC3 cells were significantly lessthan related values on HFF3 cells, indicating probable anticancer properties of thiscompound. The mechanism of cell death was further investigated by flow cytometry usingFITC-annexin V and PI staining and results indicated that apoptosis is the predominantmechanism of cell death induced by stylosin. Further studies are still needed to determine theexact mechanism involved in selective cytotoxic effects of this monoterpene on cancer cells.

PC3, Anticancer, Terpenoid, Stylosin, Apoptosis