Antiproliferative effects of quercetin through cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human breast cancer MDA-MB-453 cells

• Published in: Archives of pharmacal research Vol. 31; no. 10; pp. 1281 - 1285
• Main Authors: Choi, Eun Jeong, Bae, Su Mi, Ahn, Woong Shick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Pharmaceutical Society of Korea 01.10.2008; 대한약학회
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents; apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Blotting, Western; breast neoplasms; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; caspase-3; Cell Cycle - drug effects; cell cycle checkpoints; cell growth; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; DNA, Neoplasm - biosynthesis; DNA, Neoplasm - genetics; dose response; Female; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Medicine; Neoplasm Proteins - biosynthesis; Neoplasm Proteins - genetics; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pharmacy; quercetin; Quercetin - pharmacology; Research Article; 약학; Cell cycle arrest; Human breast cancer MDA-MB-453 cells; Quercetin; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0253-6269; 1976-3786
• DOI: 10.1007/s12272-001-2107-0

To explore the anticancer effects of the flavonoid quercetin on human breast cancer MDA-MB-453 cells via cell cycle regulation and the induction of apoptosis, the antiproliferative effect of quercetin was first examined by MTT assay. When MDA-MB-453 cells were treated with quercetin for various periods of time (3–24 hrs) and at various doses (1–100 μM), cell growth decreased significantly in a time-and dose-dependent manner. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the antiproliferative effect of quercetin, cell cycle progression and the induction of apoptosis in MDA-MB-453 cells exposed to 100 μM quercetin for 24 hrs were investigated. Quercetin caused a remarkable increase in the number of sub-G1 phase cells, and an Annexin-V assay revealed that exposure to quercetin affected apoptosis. Moreover, treatment with quercetin increased Bax expression but decreased Bcl-2 expression. Cleaved caspase-3 and PARP expression was also increased by quercetin. Thus, quercetin has probable anticancer activity. Our results suggest the existence of multiple pathways for the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by quercetin.