2', 4'-dihydroxy-3, 4-methylenedioxychalcone Activate Mitochondrial Apoptosis of Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Cells

Background:

Development of effective cancer-chemotherapy is the most challenging field due to the toxicity of chemo-agents.

Objective:

As chalcone has been known to have pharmacological applications, here the aim is to synthesized three chalcone derivatives, 2',4'-dihydroxy-3,4-methylenedioxychalcone (C1), 2'-hydroxy- 2,4, 6-trimethoxychalcone (C2) and 2'-hydroxy-4-methylchalcone (C3) and investigate their anti-cancer properties against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) cell.

Method:

Anticancer properties against EAC cells were studied by examining growth inhibition, MTT assays, tumour-bearing mice survival, tumour weight measurement and haematological profiles. Moreover, apoptosis of EAC cells was investigated by fluorescence microscopy, flowcytometry and DNA fragmentation assays. Expression of apoptosis related genes were studied by reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR).

Results:

Among the compounds, C1 exhibited highest cell growth inhibition at 200 mg/kg/day (81.71%; P < 0.01). C1 treatment also increased the life span of EAC-bearing mice (82.60%, P < 0.05) with the reduction of tumour burden (<) compared to untreated EAC-bearing mice. In vitro study indicated that C1 killed EAC-cells in a dose-dependent manner and induced mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathways. In addition, C1 treated cells exhibited increased apoptotic features such as membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, and nuclear fragmentation after Hoechst 33342 staining. Increased fragmentation of DNA in gel electrophoresis followed by C1 treatment further confirmed apoptosis of EAC cells. EAC cells treated with C1 showed reduced Bcl-2 expression in contrast to notable upregulation of p53 and Bax expression. It implied that C1 could reinstate the expression of pro-apoptotic tumour suppressor and inhibit anti-apoptotic genes.

Conclusions:

Thus, C1 showed significant growth inhibitory properties and induced apoptosis of EAC cells.

Apoptotic and antioxidant activities of methanol extract of Mussaenda roxburghii leaves

roxburghii. Anticancer activity of MMR has been carried out on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells with three different doses (20, 40 and 60 mg/kg/day) by observing different parameters such as tumor weight, survival time of EAC-bearing mice, growth inhibition of EAC cells, morphological changes and nuclear damage of EAC cells etc. whereas antioxidant activity was determined by measuring total antioxidant, DPPH free radical scavenging, ferrous reducing capacity assay. The extract showed highest anticancer activity at 60 mg/kg day¬-⁻¹(i.p.). It caused 81.4% (P<0.01) cells growth inhibition and reduced tumor burden significantly (78.5%; P<0.001) in comparison to control. It also increased life span of EAC-bearing mice significantly (73.5%; P<0.01). MMR treated EAC cells showed membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation (apoptotic feature) in Hoechst 33342 staining under fluorescence microscope. DNA fragmentation assay in agarose gel (1.5%) electrophoresis also rectified that it causes EAC cells death by apoptosis. MMR also exhibited moderate antioxidant properties in dose dependent manner. Thus, this plant can therefore be considering a resource for natural chemo-preventive drugs as well as a possible pharmaceutical supplement.