title: Evaluation of aqueous extracts of Taraxacum officinale on growth and invasion of breast and prostate cancer cells.
abstract: Ethnotraditional use of plant-derived natural products plays a significant role in the discovery and development of potential medicinal agents. Plants of the genus Taraxacum, commonly known as dandelions, have a history of use in Chinese, Arabian and Native American traditional medicine, to treat a variety of diseases including cancer. To date, however, very few studies have been reported on the anti-carcinogenic activity of Taraxacum officinale (TO). In the present study, three aqueous extracts were prepared from the mature leaves, flowers and roots, and investigated on tumor progression related processes such as proliferation and invasion. Our results show that the crude extract of dandelion leaf (DLE) decreased the growth of MCF-7/AZ breast cancer cells in an ERK-dependent manner, whereas the aqueous extracts of dandelion flower (DFE) and root (DRE) had no effect on the growth of either cell line. Furthermore, DRE was found to block invasion of MCF-7/AZ breast cancer cells while DLE blocked the invasion of LNCaP prostate cancer cells, into collagen type I. Inhibition of invasion was further evidenced by decreased phosphorylation levels of FAK and src as well as reduced activities of matrix metalloproteinases, MMP-2 and MMP-9. This study provides new scientific data on TO and suggests that TO extracts or individual components present in the extracts may be of value as novel anti-cancer agents.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemical and Biomedical Research, Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM 87801, USA.
authors.forename: Sophia C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sigstedt
authors.forename: Carla J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hooten
authors.forename: Manika C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Callewaert
authors.forename: Aaron R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Anntherese E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pullin
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kornienko
authors.forename: Timothy K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Lowrey
authors.forename: Severine Van
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Slambrouck
authors.forename: Wim F A
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Steelant
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D035264:Flowers; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves; D018517:Plant Roots; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D031205:Taraxacum; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019061:src-Family Kinases; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; C522361:MMP2 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9