Genes coding for pro‐apoptotic proteins, such as BBC3, TRIB3, DDIT3 and HRK, were shown to be significantly upregulated at mRNA levels in prostate cancer cells upon pentamidine treatment, whereas the transcription level of BIRC3, which encoded an inhibitor of apoptosis, was downregulated in pentamidine‐treated PC3 and DU145 cells (Figure 5B). This evidence concerns the gene HRK and prostate cancer.