Effects of vitamin E on prostate cancer

Scientists at East Tennessee State University have detected proteins associated with cytotoxic effects of vitamin E on prostate cancer cells, using Dymension, Syngene's 2D gel image analysis software

Researchers in the departments of pediatrics/chemistry at ETSU are using Dymension to rapidly analyse 2D gel images of silver stained proteins derived from a prostate cancer (LNCaP) cell line treated with delta-tocotrienol, (a form of vitamin E).

From the analysis, they have isolated a number of proteins that are significantly up or down-regulated, which when identified, could provide critical information for the design of more effective drugs for the treatment and prevention of prostate cancer.

Christian Mbangha Muenyi, research assistant in the pediatrics/chemistry departments at ETSU explained: "In many studies, it has been shown that vitamin E is cytotoxic to some prostate cancer cell lines, so we want to find out what is happening at the molecular level during this induced cell death.

"We have been using a proteomics approach with 2D gels for several years but found with our previous analysis software it was difficult and time consuming to manipulate gel images to obtain meaningful data.

"This is why we switched to using Dymension two years ago.

"Since then analysis has been more straightforward and this coupled with excellent technical support we have had from Syngene has helped us with rapidly detecting a number of interesting proteins.

"In fact, we are so pleased with Dymension we are going to upgrade the software's capability to allow us to perform DIGE analysis".

Paula Maia, vice president of sales, Syngene USA, stated: "We are delighted to see our Dymension software's performance exceeds ETSU scientists' expectations.

"The software's use in such critical pre-clinical studies demonstrates it can provide 2D protein gel analysis of exceptional speed and accuracy, making Dymension ideally suited to any gel-based proteomics cancer research project".

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