Lipoxygenases are lipid-peroxidizing enzymes that have many important roles in human diseases including cancer. Two different 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) enzymes, 15-LOX-1 and 15-LOX-2, are found in humans, with distinct expression patterns throughout the body. High expression of 15-LOX-1 has been reported in human prostate tumors. Reportedly, the levels of expression of 15-Lox-1 correlate with the Gleason score of the cancer. The higher Gleason score is equal with the higher expression of 15-LOX-1. Coumarins are compounds that are often one of the members of secondary metabolites in green plants, fungis and bacterias. Some of these compounds have been identified as the inhibitors of the pre-inflammatory pathways of lipoxygenases. The purpose of this study is the investigating of the anti-cancer effects of the synthetic compound 8-farnesyloxycoumarine (8F) on the prostate carcinoma cells, PC3 cell lines. PC3 cells and HFF3 cells, as the normal cells, were treated with increasing amounts (from 6.25 to 100 micrograms per milliliters) of 8F for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The results of each group was compared with its relevant control that contains equal amounts of DMSO. IC50 of 8F on PC3 cells were 35, 15 and 14 (µg)/ml after 24, 48 and 72 hours respectvely. No cytotoxic effects on HFF3 cells were observed. Morphological observations also confirmed anti-cancer effects on these cells. Further studies can be on the changing in chemical structure and analysing the possible anti-cancer effects of this compound in vivo and investigating of its molecular mechanisms of enzyme inhibition in prostate carcinoma cells.

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