LYCOPENE IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL INHIBITS AT PHYSIOLOGICAL CONCENTRATIONS PROLIFERATION OF PROSTATE CARCINOMA-CELLS

The effect of lycopene alone or in association with other antioxidants was studied on the growth of two different human prostate carcinoma c ell lines (the androgen insensitive DU-145 and PC-3), It was found tha t lycopene alone was not a potent inhibitor of prostate carcinoma cell proliferation. However, the simultaneous addition of lycopene togethe r with alpha-tocopherol, at physiological concentrations (less than 1 mu M and 50 mu M, respectively), resulted in a strong inhibitory effec t of prostate carcinoma cell proliferation, which reached values close to 90 %, The effect of lycopene with alpha-tocopherol was synergistic and was not shared by beta-tocopherol, ascorbic acid and probucol. (C ) 1998 Academic Press.