Inhibition of cell growth and down-regulation of telomerase activity by amygdalin in human cancer cell lines

• Published in: Animal cells and systems Vol. 19; no. 5; pp. 295 - 304
• Main Authors: Moon, Ji-Yoon, Kim, Sang-Won, Yun, Gi-Mok, Lee, Hyeon-Sik, Kim, Yoon-Dong, Jeong, Gie-Joon, Ullah, Imran, Rho, Gyu-Jin, Jeon, Byeong-Gyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Daejeon Taylor & Francis 03.09.2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd; 한국통합생물학회
• Subjects: cancer cells; Cell growth; Fibroblasts; Human; senescence; Telomerase; telomerase activity; 생물학
• ISSN: 1976-8354; 2151-2485
• DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2015.1060261

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of amygdalin on cell growth and telomerase activity in human cancer and MRC-5 fibroblast cell lines. The level of β-glucosidase activity for releasing cyanide was significantly (P < .05) higher in cancer cell lines (A-549, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and U87-MG) than in MRC-5 fibroblasts. Growth rate of cancer cells was apparently inhibited in concentrations above 10 mg/ml amygdalin with senescent-like abnormal morphology. Whereas the effects were absent or marginally detected in MRC-5 fibroblasts. High incidence of β-galactosidase activity was observed in amygdalin-treated cancer cells, compared with that of untreated control while no difference was observed between the control and amygdalin-treated MRC-5 fibroblasts. Furthermore, level of telomerase activity was significantly (P < .05) higher (∼8-13 fold) in cancer cell lines along with high expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA component (TERC) than in MRC-5 fibroblasts which did not expressed TERT and TERC. However, telomerase activity was significantly (P < .05) down-regulated in amygdalin-treated cancer cells with the decreased expression of TERT and TERC compared with control cancer cells. There were no difference in the telomerase activity between control and amygdalin-treated MRC-5 fibroblasts. Based on these observations, we concluded that amygdalin treatment offers a valuable option for the cancer treatment, causing inhibition of cell growth and down-regulation of telomerase activity in human cancer cell lines by increasing β-glucosidase activity.