Free Radical Scavenging Activity: Antiproliferative and Proteomics Analyses of the Differential Expression of Apoptotic Proteins in MCF-7 Cells Treated with Acetone Leaf Extract of Diospyros lycioides (Ebenaceae)

• Published in: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine Vol. 2015; no. 2015; pp. 1 - 13
• Main Authors: Mampuru, Leseilane, Matsebatlela, T. M., Mbazima, Vusi, Mokgotho, Matlou Phineas, Bagla, V. P., Pilane, M. C., Ncube, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01-01-2015; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Acetone; Analysis; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Breast cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell division; Cell growth; Cytochrome; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Free radicals; Genes; Medical research; Metabolism; Nitric oxide; Physiology; Proteins; Proteomics; RNA; Studies; Sulfuric acid; Tumor proteins; Tumors
• ISSN: 1741-427X; 1741-4288
• DOI: 10.1155/2015/534808

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in South Africa. The acetone leaf extract of Diospyros lycioides was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively for its antioxidant potential using DPPH assay and nitric oxide radical scavenging effect, while the viability of MCF-7 cells was evaluated using the MTT. MCF-7 treated cells were stained with Hoechst 335258 dye and annexin-V-FITC to be evaluated for apoptotic effect of the extract, while mRNA expression levels of apoptotic genes were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR and deferential protein expression levels using 2D gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Results revealed presence of antioxidant constituents in the extract. Extract was shown to be cytotoxic in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Cytotoxicity was demonstrated to be due to apoptosis, with 70% of the extract-treated cells being annexin-V-positive/PI negative at 48 hours. The extract was also shown to upregulate the expression of p53 gene with concomitant downregulation of the Bcl-2 antiapoptotic gene while differentially expressed proteins were identified as enolase, pyruvate kinase, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. The extract in this study was shown to induce apoptosis at an early stage which makes it an ideal source that can be explored for compounds that may be used in the treatment and management of cancer.