Effect of dietary flavonoid carvacrol on human breast cancer MCF-۷ cells via the p۵۳/Bax/Bcl-۲ axis

Recently, numerous studies have shown that natural compounds such as carvacrol can be used as therapeutic agents for medicinal purposes. Although carvacrol was found to suppress breast cancer cell lines, however, whether the therapeutic effect of carvacrol on breast cancer is caused by increasing the expression of pro-apoptotic genes in the MCF-۷ cell line has not been studied. In this research, we investigate the effect of carvacrol on the expression of P۵۳, pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic BCL-۲ genes in MCF-۷ cells. After preparation and cultivation of MCF-۷ cells, the IC۵۰ value of carvacrol on the cells was evaluated by MTT assay, and then apoptosis induction was observed in the cell line treated with different concentrations of carvacrol by DAPI staining. To assess the expression level of Bax, P۵۳ and Bcl-۲ both in genes and protein levels QPCR method and western blot analysis were used. According to the results of the research, it was determined that the IC۵۰ of carvacrol compound in MCF-۷ cells is۳۰۵ μM. DAPI staining exhibit apoptosis and morphological changes in treated MCF-۷ cells. Real-time PCR assay and western blot showed increasing the Bax and P۵۳ expression and decreasing the expression of the Bcl-۲ anti-apoptotic gene and protein. These results showed that carvacrol has cell growth inhibition effects on the MCF-۷ cancer cell line. Carvacrol-induced p۵۳-dependent apoptosis, which might be related to the Bax/Bcl-۲ associated pathway. These results indicated that carvacrol could be considered suitable for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer

کلیدواژه ها:

Apoptosis ، Breast cancer ، Carvacrol ، p۵۳ ، Bcl-۲ ، Bax