Antiproliferative, proapoptotic and morphogenic effects of the flavonoid rutin on human glioblastoma cells

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 127; no. 2; pp. 404 - 411
• Main Authors: Santos, B.L., Silva, A.R., Pitanga, B.P.S., Sousa, C.S., Grangeiro, M.S., Fragomeni, B.O., Coelho, P.L.C., Oliveira, M.N., Menezes-Filho, N.J., Costa, M.F.D., El-Bachá, R.S., Velozo, E.S., Sampaio, G.P., Freire, S.M., Tardy, M., Costa, S.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15.07.2011; [Amsterdam]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Differentiation; Flavonoid; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GFAP; Gliomas; P-ERK; Rutin; Gliomas; Rutin; Differentiation; Flavonoid; P-ERK; Apoptosis; GFAP; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Polyphenol
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.12.131

► Rutin (50–100μM) reduced proliferation of GL-15 glioblastoma cells. ► Rutin induced a decrease in levels of ERK1/2 phosphorylation in glioblastoma cells. ► The majority (87.4%) of glioblastoma cells exposed to 100μM entered in apoptosis. ► Rutin induced astroglial differentiation in remaining glioblastoma cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of the flavonoid rutin (3,3′,4′,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone-3-rutinoside) on glioma cells, using the highly proliferative human cell line GL-15 as a model. We observed that rutin (50–100μM) reduced proliferation and viability of GL-15 cells, leading to decreased levels of ERK1/2 phosphorylation (P-ERK1/2) and accumulation of cells in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. On the other hand, 87.4% of GL-15 cells exposed to 100μM rutin entered apoptosis, as revealed by flow cytometry after AnnexinV/PI staining. Nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation were also observed, further confirming that apoptosis had occurred. Moreover, the remaining cells that were treated with 50μM rutin presented a morphological pattern of astroglial differentiation in culture, characterised by a condensed cell body and thin processes with overexpression of GFAP. Because of its capacity to induce differentiation and apoptosis in cultured human glioblastoma cells, rutin could be considered as a potential candidate for malignant gliomas treatment.