Xanthorrhizol exhibits antiproliferative activity on MCF-7 breast cancer cells via apoptosis induction.

Abstract

Xanthorrhizol is a natural sesquiterpenoid compound isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb (Zingiberaceae). Xanthorrhizol was tested for a variety of important pharmacological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. An antiproliferation assay using the MTT method indicated that xanthorrhizol inhibited the proliferation of the human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, with an EC50 value of 1.71 microg/ml. Three parameters including annexin-V binding assay, Hoechst 33258 staining and accumulation of sub-G1 population in DNA histogram confirmed the apoptosis induction in response to xanthorrhizol treatment. Western-blotting revealed down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic bcl-2 protein expression. However, xanthorrhizol did not affect the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein, bax, at a concentration of 1 microg/ml, 2.5 microg/ml and 5 microg/ml. The level of p53 was greatly increased, whilst PARP-1 was cleaved to 85 kDa subunits, following the treatment with xanthorrhizol at a dose-dependent manner. These results, thereby, suggest that xanthorrhizol has antiproliferative effects on MCF-7 cells by inducing apoptosis through the modulation of bcl-2, p53 and PARP-1 protein levels.

• Authors: Yew Hoong Cheah, Hawariah Lope Pihie Azimahtol, Noor Rain Abdullah
• Journal: Anticancer research (Anticancer Res) 2006 Nov-Dec Vol. 26 Issue 6B Pg. 4527-34 ISSN: 0250-7005 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 17201174 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Annexin A5
• Phenols
• xanthorrhizol
• Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate

Topics

• Annexin A5 (metabolism)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Breast Neoplasms (genetics, pathology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (metabolism)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic (drug effects)
• Humans
• Phenols (pharmacology)