Targeting inhibitor 2 of protein phosphatase 2A as a therapeutic strategy for prostate cancer treatment

Inhibitor 2 of protein phosphatase 2A (I2PP2A), a biological inhibitor of the cellular serine/threonine protein phosphatase PP2A, is associated with numerous cellular processes that often lead to the formation and progression of cancer. In this study we hypothesized that targeting the inhibition of I2PP2A's multiple functions in prostate cancer cells might prevent cancer progression. We have investigated the effect of the small chain C6-ceramide, known to be a bioactive tumor suppressor lipid, on I2PP2A function, thereby affecting c-Myc signaling and histone acetylation in cells. Our data indicated that C6-ceramide treatment of prostate cancer cells induces cell death in PC-3, DU145, and LNCaP cells, but not normal prostate epithelial cells. C6-ceramide was able to disrupt the association between PP2A and I2PP2A. C6-ceramide inhibits I2PP2A's upregulation of c-Myc and downregulation of histone acetylation in prostate cancer cells. Our data indicated that targeting cancer related signaling pathways through I2PP2A using ceramide as an anti-I2PP2A agent could have beneficial effects as a therapeutic approach to prevent prostate cancer.