The Effect of Lycopene on Cancer Cell Apoptosis by Caspase-9 Concentration Measurement in Indonesian Human Prostate Cancer Cell Culture

BACKGROUND: Lycopene is an antioxidant that mostly found in daily ingredients such as tomatoes. Several studies have shown the lycopene potential in preventing prostate cancer. Nevertheless, the clinical use of lycopene as adjunctive therapy for prostate cancer is still under debate. AIM: The objective of the study was to determine the effect of lycopene on human prostate cancer cell culture growth by measuring caspase-9 concentration as a marker of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in cells. METHODS: This study was conducted on Indonesian prostate cancer cell culture from a patient with Gleason score 6, divided into 5 subgroups: 2 control groups and 3 treatment groups that were given 1 μM, 2 μM, and 4 μM of lycopene. Measurement of caspase-9 level was performed using enhanced chemiluminescence at 24, 28, and 72 h after lycopene addition in treatment groups. A comparative analysis was performed by two-way ANOVA. RESULTS: The result showed that there was a significant difference of mean caspase-9 levels in the provision of various concentrations of lycopene and time of observation (p < 0.05). Increased of mean caspase-9 levels started at 2 μM dose of lycopene at 48 h and 4 μM at 24 h (p < 0.05) and continue to rise at 72 h, but caspase-9 was not detected at 1 μM dose in every observation. CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference of mean caspase-9 levels in the provision of various concentrations of lycopene and time of observation.