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- Title
Pro-apoptotic and anti-adhesive effects of four African plant extracts on the breast cancer ce line MCF-7.
- Authors
Engel, Nadja; Falodun, Abiodun; Kühn, Juliane; Kragl, Udo; Langer, Peter; Nebe, Barbara
- Abstract
Background: Jatropha curcas (JCP1), Pyrenacantha staudtii (PS), Picralima nitida (ZI) and Jatropha gossypifolia (JCP2) are plants used in the African folklore for the treatment of various cancers. Methods: This study investigated the in vitro anticancer effects of the ethanol extracts against human epithelial MCF-7 breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner (1-50 µg/ml) by using cell cycle analysis, viability assay, annexin V/PI staining, TUNEL method and expression determination of apoptotic and adhesion relevant proteins. Adhesion processes were monitored by detachment via flow cytometry, β1-integrin expression and formation of the actin cytoskeleton. Results: The three extracts, termed PS, JCP1 and JCP2 at a concentration of 10 µg/ml induced cell death in MCF-7 breast cancer cells verified by high amounts of PI-positive cells in the cell cycle analysis, Annexin V/PI staining and DNA fragmentation measurements. In parallel cell detachment was accompanied by decreased β1- integrin expression and phosphorylation of the focal adhesion kinase at Tyr397. ZI extract was the exception by the increasing β1-integrin expression and strengthening the cortical actin cytoskeleton. However, all four plant extracts mediated strong anti-cancer properties with IC50 values between 23-38 µg/ml. Conclusion: PS, JCP1 and JCP2 were found to be very active against MCF-7 cells by inducing anoikis and therefore possessing vast potential as medicinal drugs especially in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer treatment. ZI mediated their anti-cancer action by different signaling mechanisms which should be analyzed in future studies. Our results further supported the idea that medicinal plants can be promising sources of putative anticancer agents.
- Subjects
AFRICA; MEDICINAL plants; TISSUE adhesions; ANTINEOPLASTIC agents; APOPTOSIS; BREAST tumors; CELL cycle; CELL lines; CELL receptors; CYTOPLASM; DNA; FLOW cytometry; MUSCLE proteins; PHOSPHORYLATION; STAINS &; staining (Microscopy); TRANSFERASES; PLANT extracts; AFRICAN traditional medicine; IN vitro studies
- Publication
BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 2014, Vol 14, p1
- ISSN
1472-6882
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1186/1472-6882-14-334