Comparing toxic effects of auraptene and urolithin A in human colon adenocarcinoma cells

Colon adenocarcinoma is a life threatening malignancy with high rate of incidence worldwide. Auraptene is an abundant natural monoterpene coumarin that possesses valuable pharmaceutical effects, and urolithin A is an ellagic acid metabolite produced by gut microbial flora with several biological effects. In the current study, we aimed to compare toxic effects of auraptene with urolithin A in colon adenocarcinoma cells.Auraptene was synthesized by a reaction between ۷-hydroxycoumarin and transgeranyl bromide, while ۲-bromo-۵-methoxy benzoic acid and resorcinol were used for urolithin A synthesis. After LoVo cells were treated with ۱۰, ۲۰, ۴۰ and ۸۰ μM auraptene or urolithin A, they were incubated for ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ h. Finally, cell viability was assessed by resazurin as a colorimetric assay, and morphological alterations were recorded by an inverted microscope.Our finding indicated that auraptene toxicity increased during ۳ consecutive days, as ۹۷%, ۸۹% and ۶۹% of cells were alive upon ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ h treatment with ۴۰ μM auraptene, respectively. Meanwhile, viability of LoVo cells was calculated as ۶۳%, ۵۸% and ۸۶% after ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ h treatment with ۴۰ μM urolithin A, respectively. Viability of cells decreased by the highest concentration of both agents; ۸۰ μM auraptene reduced viability down to ۶۳%, ۳۳% and ۲۶% after ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ h treatment, respectively, and ۴۳%, ۳۱% and ۴۱% of cells were alive upon ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ h treatment with ۸۰ μM urolithin A, respectively. To note, cell viability was ≥ ۸۰% and ≥ ۷۰% for lower concentrations of auraptene and urolithin A, respectively. Taken together, our findings revealed that auraptene and urolithin A induced their toxic effects in LoVo cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, cytotoxicity of urolithin A was more than that for auraptene in the same time and dose range, which make this agent a suitable option for further anticancer studies.

کلیدواژه ها:

Colon adenocarcinoma ، Auraptene ، Urolithin A ، Cytotoxicity