Aim: Prostate cancer (PCa) has become a significant and rapidly increasing global health concern for men. In this study, the effect of folic acid (FA) was examined on cell proliferation using androgen-nonresponsive (PC3) human PCa cell line.
Materials and Methods: In the present study, the MTT assay was used to assess FA's inhibitory effect on cellular proliferation. Additionally, all groups underwent the TUNEL immunofluorescence staining approach procedure to identify apoptosis in the PC3 cell line.
Results: The most appropriate cytotoxic dose was determined to be the 24-hour FA values. When apoptotic TUNEL staining was evaluated in the PC3 cell line, FA significantly increased apoptosis. There was not a significant difference observed between the docetaxel (Dtx) and FA groups in terms of TUNEL-positive cell immunoreactivity in the PC3 cell line. There was no apparent distinction in the immunreactivity intensity of TUNEL-positive cells in these groups.
Conclusion: The present study provides a fresh perspective on the fundamental mechanism underlying FA's capability to prevent PC3 cancer cells from proliferating. Our findings suggest that FA effectively inhibits PC3 cell line proliferation through the upregulation of apoptosis. Consequently, FA may be a potential novel cytotoxic and therapeutic strategy in the treatment of PCa disease.