The Effect of Nano-Encapsulated Orlistat on Prostate Cancer: An In vitro Study

Abstract

Background: The targeted inhibition of fatty acid synthase (FASN) by Orlistat, a potent FASN inhibitor, has been shown to block tumor proliferation and induce apoptosis in cultured tumor cells. Since Orlistat is insoluble, its solubility in blood circulation is limited. Cancer nanotherapeutics are rapidly progressing and are being implemented to solve several limitations of conventional drug delivery systems. Aim: In this in vitro study, we aimed to overcome the limitation of orlistat changes by designing a nanoparticle and investigating its selective cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. Method: To investigate the effects of encapsulated Orlistat on prostate cancer, we measured apoptosis and the distribution of cells via flow cytometry, confocal microscope, and Western blot. Results: There is an improvement in the solubility of Orlistat with the effect of nanoparticles; it was observed that Orlistat decreased the expression of FASN and caused dose-dependent cytotoxicity with Caspase-3, Bax, and PARP activation in PC-3 cells, while it did not have a significant effect on normal prostate epithelial cells. Conclusion: The present results indicate that the limitation of Orlistat can be overcome by assembling a nano-micellar formulation that can induce apoptotic death in the PC-3 cell line but normal prostate epithelial cells.