In vitro induction of apoptosis and in vivo effects of a flavone nitroderivative in murine mammary adenocarcinoma cells.
We explored the in vitro and in vivo mechanism of antitumor action of the synthetic flavonoid 2'-nitroflavone on LM3 murine mammary adenocarcinoma cells. In vitro assays showed that 2'-nitroflavone increased the population of LM3 hypodiploid cells and produced a typical ladder of DNA fragmentation. Apoptotic cell death was also characterized by the activation of caspase-8, -9 and -3, by an increment in the expression levels of the proapoptotic protein Bax and by the release of cytochrome c to cytosol. The in vivo effect of 2'-nitroflavone on tumor growth was studied in BALB/c mice injected subcutaneously with LM3 cells. Results showed that tumor volume and weight were significantly reduced at doses of 10 and 40 mg/kg of 2'-nitroflavone, respectively. Apoptotic cells were identified by TUNEL assay in tumor slices from mice treated with 10 mg/kg of 2'-nitroflavone. Western blot analysis of tumor lysate supernatants from treated mice revealed an upregulation of the total levels of Bax and Fas receptor. In addition, administration of 40 mg/kg of 2'-nitroflavone to nontumor-bearing mice showed no histopathological effects on different organ tissues. This is the first report of the in vivo growth inhibitory effect of 2'-nitroflavone as an apoptotic agent likely useful for mammary adenocarcinoma treatment.
Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UBA-CONICET, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Mariano G
MG
Cárdenas
Elsa
E
Zotta
Mariel
M
Marder
Leonor P
LP
Roguin
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D047309:Flavones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
C532168:2'-nitroflavone; D047309:Flavones; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D020169:Caspases