Typhonium flagelliforme extract induce apoptosis in breast cancer stem cells by suppressing survivin

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and therapeutics Vol. 16; no. 6; pp. 1302 - 1308
• Main Authors: Putra, Agung, Riwanto, Ignatius, Putra, Suhartono, Wijaya, Indra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.10.2020; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Apoptosis - physiology; Araceae - chemistry; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Caspase 3 - metabolism; Cell Line, Tumor; Female; Humans; Hyaluronan Receptors - metabolism; Neoplastic Stem Cells - drug effects; Neoplastic Stem Cells - metabolism; Neoplastic Stem Cells - pathology; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Stem cells; Survivin - antagonists & inhibitors; Survivin - metabolism; survivin apoptosis; Breast-cancer stem cells; Typhonium flagelliforme
• ISSN: 0973-1482; 1998-4138; 1998-4138
• DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.JCRT_85_20

Context: Breast cancer stem cells (bCSCs) are a small population of cancer-initiating cells within breast cancer, characterized as CD44+ CD24-/low. bCSCs develop apoptosis resistance by expressing survivin and suppressing caspase-9 and caspase-3 expression. Typhonium flagelliforme tuber extract (TFTe) can induce apoptosis in several types of cancer cells; however, the effects of TFTe to induce the bCSCs remain unclear. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the effects of TFTe on apoptosis induction in bCSCs through the suppression of survivin and the exhibition of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Settings and Design: This study employed a posttest only, control group design. Subjects and Methods: To analyze the apoptotic index, TFTe, at concentrations of 25 (Tf1d), 50.89 (Tf2d), and 100 μg/mL (Tf3d) were used to treat bCSCs for 24 h, in a humidified incubator containing 5% CO2, at 37°C. The control group was exposed to dimethyl sulfoxide. Apoptosis was measured by propidium iodide and acridine orange double-staining, and the expression levels of survivin, caspase-9, and caspase-3 were assessed by immunocytochemistry. Statistical Analysis Used: Differences were analyzed by the independent Student's t-test, to compare two groups, and the Kruskal-Wallis test, to compare more than two groups. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: TFTe inhibited bCSC proliferation, with an IC50 value of 50.89 μg/mL, and significantly induced apoptosis in bCSCs (P < 0.001). TFTe also significantly decreased the expression levels of survivin in bCSCs (P < 0.001) and increased the expression levels of caspase-9 and caspase-3 (P < 0.001). Conclusions: TFTe can induce apoptosis in bCSCs by decreasing survivin expression levels and increasing the levels of caspase-9 and caspase-3.