Title:Bunium persicum Seeds Extract in Combination with Vincristine Mediates Apoptosis
in MCF-7 Cells through Regulation of Involved Genes and Proteins Expression
Volume: 24
Issue: 3
Author(s): Mohammad Rasoul Samandari-Bahraseman, Ahmad Ismaili, Saeed Esmaeili-Mahani*, Esmaeil Ebrahimie*Evelin Loit
Affiliation:
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
- La Trobe Genomics Research
Platform, School of Life Sciences, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
Keywords:
Cancer, chemotherapy, herbal extract, combination therapy, vincristine, apoptosis.
Abstract:
Background: Bunium persicum seeds, a member of the Apiaceae family, have historically been consumed
as part of the Iranian diet.
Objective: While many of this herb's biological properties have been fully investigated, there is currently no
reliable information about its anticancer/cytotoxic properties.
Methods: Herein, we first determined the major bioactive compounds of B. persicum seed extract (BPSE) via
GC-Mass analysis. We evaluated the cytotoxicity of the extract alone as well as in combination with vincristine
(VCR), a commonly used chemotherapy drug, using MTT assays on two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and
MDA-MB-231, as well as a normal breast cancer cell line, MCF-10A. Moreover, these compounds were evaluated
in vitro for their anticancer activity using ROS assays, Real-Time PCR, Western blots, flow cytometry, and
cell cycle assays.
Results: As a result of our investigation, it was determined that the extract significantly reduced the viability of
cancerous cells while remaining harmless to normal cells. The combination of BPSE and VCR also resulted in
synergistic effects. BPSE and/or BPSE-VCR treatment increased the intracellular ROS of MCF-7 cells by over
twofold. Moreover, the IC30 of BPSE (100 μg/ml) significantly increased the BAX/BCL-2 and P53 gene expression
while reducing the expression of the MYC gene. Moreover, treated cells were arrested in the G2 phase of the
cell cycle. The BPSE-VCR combination synergistically reduced the NF-κB and increased the Caspase-7 proteins’
expression. The percent of apoptosis in the cells treated with the extract, VCR, and their combination was 27, 11,
and 50, respectively.
Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the anticancer activity of the BPSE and its potential for application
in combination therapy with VCR.
