Extracts of strawberry fruits induce intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in breast cancer cells and inhibits tumor progression in mice.
BACKGROUND
The consumption of berry fruits, including strawberries, has been suggested to have beneficial effects against oxidative stress mediated diseases. Berries contain multiple phenolic compounds and secondary metabolites that contribute to their biological properties.


RESULTS
Current study investigates the anticancer activity of the methanolic extract of strawberry (MESB) fruits in leukaemia (CEM) and breast cancer (T47D) cell lines ex vivo, and its cancer therapeutic and chemopreventive potential in mice models. Results of MTT, trypan blue and LDH assays suggested that MESB can induce cytotoxicity in cancer cells, irrespective of origin, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Treatment of mice bearing breast adenocarcinoma with MESB blocked the proliferation of tumor cells in a time-dependent manner and resulted in extended life span. Histological and immunohistochemical studies suggest that MESB treatment affected tumor cell proliferation by activating apoptosis and did not result in any side effects. Finally, we show that MESB can induce intrinsic pathway of apoptosis by activating p73 in breast cancer cells, when tumor suppressor gene p53 is mutated.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study reveals that strawberry fruits possess both cancer preventive and therapeutic values and we discuss the mechanism by which it is achieved.
Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Ranganatha R
RR
Somasagara
Mahesh
M
Hegde
Kishore K
KK
Chiruvella
Anjaneyulu
A
Musini
Bibha
B
Choudhary
Sathees C
SC
Raghavan
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D031985:Fragaria; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000071857:Tumor Suppressor p53-Binding Protein 1
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; C494815:Bid protein, mouse; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; C000606460:TP73 protein, human; C498302:Trp53bp1 protein, mouse; C000606368:Trp73 protein, mouse; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D000071857:Tumor Suppressor p53-Binding Protein 1