title: 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.affiliation: Bioassay Unit, Herbal Medicine Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, 50588 Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. yhcheah@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yew Hoong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.forename: Hawariah Lope Pihie
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Azimahtol
authors.forename: Noor Rain
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Abdullah
mesh_terms: D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D010636:Phenols; C120248:xanthorrhizol; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate