Sodium Pentaborate Pentahydrate Enhances Paclitaxel-induced Cytotoxicity in Hormone-dependent Prostate Cancer

Aim: Prostate cancer remains a significant health challenge, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies to improve treatment outcomes. Sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (SPP), a boron-based compound with potential anticancer activity, has previously demonstrated inhibitory effects on the proliferation of hormone-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Paclitaxel (Pac), a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, is effective against various cancers but is often associated with significant side effects, limiting its therapeutic potential. To mitigate these side effects, combination therapies are frequently explored to achieve better efficacy at lower doses. In this study, we aimed to explore the combined effects of SPP and Pac on LNCaP cells.

Methods: Cytotoxicity of SPP and Pac on LNCaP and healthy prostate epithelial cells PNT1a was assessed using the WST-1 assay. Drug interactions were analyzed using CompuSyn software to calculate the combination index (CI) and dose reduction index (DRI). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s test was carried out to perform statistical analysis.

Results: The results revealed that the combination of SPP and Pac significantly increased toxicity in LNCaP cells (P < 0.01) without causing harm to healthy prostate cells, PNT1a. The strongest synergistic effect was observed when cells were treated with 250 μg/mL SPP and 10 nM Pac for 24 hours (CI = 0.347; DRI = 5.628).

Conclusion: The findings indicate, for the first time, that SPP and Pac combination provides a synergistic anticancer effect, allowing for reduced Pac dosage and potentially minimizing its side effects. Further studies are required to explore the mechanisms behind this synergy and its potential clinical application.

Keywords : Sodium pentaborate pentahydrate, paclitaxel, combination, synergistic, prostate cancer