title: Alkaloids extracted from Pterogyne nitens induce apoptosis in malignant breast cell line.
abstract: In the present study, two alkaloids isolated from Pterogyne nitens, a plant native to Brazil, have been shown to induce apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. These compounds, pterogynine (PGN) and pterogynidine (PGD), were tested for their effect on a human infiltrating ductal carcinoma cell line (ZR-7531). The cell line was treated with each alkaloid at several concentrations. Time-dependence (with or without recuperation time) and concentration-dependence (in the range 0.25-10 mM) were investigated in cytotoxicity and apoptosis assays. The annexin assay indicated an apparently higher percentage of death by necrosis of malignant cells after 24 h exposure to both P. nitens extracts than the Hoechst assay. Thus, our results in the two tests demonstrated that the Hoechst assay can discriminate between late apoptotic cells and necrosis, whereas the flow cytometry-based annexin V assay cannot. We concluded that PGN and PGD have effective antineoplastic activity against human breast cancer cells in vitro, by inducing programmed cell death.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo State -UNESP, Rua Expedicionários do Brasil, 1621, Zip code 14801-902, Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberta Aparecida
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Elaine Rodrigues
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Vanderlan da Silva
authors.initials: Vda S
authors.lastname: Bolzani
authors.forename: Dulce Helena
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Siqueira e Silva
authors.forename: Luis Octavio
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Regasini
authors.forename: Tarsia Giabardo Alves
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Mauro César Cafundó
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: de Morais
authors.forename: Valdecir Farias
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Ximenes
authors.forename: Christiane Pienna
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D029911:Caesalpinia / Q000737:chemistry*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002469:Cell Separation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009336:Necrosis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D006146:Guanidines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations; C542891:pterogynidine; C553217:pterogynine