Dihydroartemisinin upregulates death receptor 5 expression and cooperates with TRAIL to induce apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a derivative of artemisinin and is an effective anti-malaria therapeutic used worldwide. In this report, we report that DHA is as a potential anti-cancer drug for prostate cancer. Our data indicate that DHA suppresses the PI3-K/Akt and ERK cell survival pathways and triggers the induction of death receptor DR5 and activation of extrinsic and intrinsic cell death signaling. DHA-mediated DR5 induction appears to occur...