title: The Effect of Licorice Protein Fractions on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Gastrointestinal Cancer Cell Lines.
abstract: Several methods for the treatment of colon cancer have been introduced, but none of them are safe and effective. We planned to evaluate the inhibitory effect of protein extract of licorice root on HT-29 and CT26 cell lines proliferation and apoptosis.
  
  
  
  Protein extract of licorice root was prepared in phosphate-buffered solution, and SDS-PAGE was used to isolate its fractions. HT-29, CT-26, and HEK293 cell lines were treated with various concentrations of the fractions and full extract of licorice. Cytotoxicity of licorice at various concentrations was assessed using MTT assay. Flow cytometry analysis was applied to evaluate the apoptosis.
  
  
  
  Our results demonstrated that the concentrations of 5 μg/mL from 25 to 33 kDa fraction and concentration of 8 μg/mL from 62 kDa fraction had a significant inhibitory effect on both cancerous cell lines (P < 0.05), with no significant effect on the noncancerous cell line. The concentrations of 50 and 100 μg/mL from full extracts significantly increased apoptosis in CT26 cells [35.52 ± 7.5 (P = 0.048*) and 47.72 ± 8 (P 0.026*), respectively], but not in HT29 and noncancerous cell lines.
  
  
  
  Protein compounds of licorice showed anticancer properties and were able to induce apoptosis in both human colon cancer and mouse colon carcinoma cell lines.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Immunology , School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences , Isfahan , Iran.|b Immunology Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khazraei-Moradian
authors.affiliation: a Department of Immunology , School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences , Isfahan , Iran.
authors.forename: Mazdak
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ganjalikhani-Hakemi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Immunology , School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences , Isfahan , Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andalib
authors.affiliation: a Department of Immunology , School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences , Isfahan , Iran.|c Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yazdani
authors.affiliation: d Department of Biology , Faculty of Basic Sciences, Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arasteh
authors.affiliation: b Immunology Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Gholam Ali
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kardar
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010940:Plant Proteins