Comparison of the Effects of Sodium Orthovanadate and Sodium Metavanadate on the Growth and Survival of DU-145 Prostate Cancer Cells

Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in developed countries. Although new anticancer agents are being evaluated in models of this cancer, there is a scarcity of studies on the effects of sodium metavanadate (NaVO₃). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium metavanadate on the growth, viability, and survival of prostate cancer cells and to compare these results with those for sodium orthovanadate (Na₃VO₄). The experiments were conducted on DU-145 cells incubated with either sodium metavanadate or sodium orthovanadate. The impact of these vanadium compounds on cell growth was assessed using the MTT assay and crystal violet staining. Subsequently, the effects of sodium metavanadate and sodium orthovanadate on cell survival and the cell cycle were examined using propidium iodide and Hoechst 33342 staining, followed by analysis with fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Both sodium metavanadate and sodium orthovanadate inhibited the growth of DU-145 cells, with IC₅₀ values of 12.74 ± 5.38 µM and 8.94 ± 2.90 µM, respectively. This inhibition was attributed to apoptosis and necrosis, as well as cell cycle arrest at the G₁/S checkpoint. The findings suggest that sodium metavanadate and sodium orthovanadate are potential anticancer agents against prostate cancer, effective at low concentrations.