Beta-carotene exerted anti-proliferative and apoptotic effect on malignant mesothelioma cells

• Published in: Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology Vol. 395; no. 4; pp. 407 - 415
• Main Authors: Kacar, Sedat, Sariisik, Ediz, Sahinturk, Varol
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Annexin V; Antioxidants; Antitumor activity; Apoptosis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blood levels; Cancer; Caspase-3; Cell viability; Cytotoxicity; Flow cytometry; Mesothelioma; Neurosciences; Original Article; Oxidative stress; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Propidium iodide; β-Carotene; Cytotoxicity; Malignant pleural mesothelioma; SPC212; β-Carotene; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0028-1298; 1432-1912
• DOI: 10.1007/s00210-022-02214-6

High blood levels of β-carotene and increased intake in the diets are inversely proportional to incidence of many cancer types. Antioxidant activity of β-carotene was proposed to be related with its antitumor effect. Despite this plant derivative substance being sought in many cancer types, the effectiveness of β-carotene against malignant mesothelioma remained unclear. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the impact of β-carotene on cell viability, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in mesothelioma cells. Human mesothelioma cell SPC212 were treated with β-carotene (3.125–200 μM) for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Cytotoxicity was measured with the MTT assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide). Annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI) and caspase 3/7 biomarkers were used to identify apoptotic cells. Finally, the oxidative stress was evaluated with flow cytometry. The results of the measurements indicated a significant decline in viable mesothelioma cancer cell numbers upon β-carotene treatment in time- and concentration-dependent manner when compared to control cells. Furthermore, β-carotene treatment led to apoptosis induction according to both annexin V/PI and caspase 3/7 assays. Furthermore, β-carotene increased oxidative stress in SPC212 cells. These results show how β-carotene affects proliferative, apoptotic, and oxidative properties in SPC212 malignant pleural mesothelioma cells and provide useful insights into future studies.