Mangifera pajang kernel crude extract induced apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines

Ingestion of fruits and their products have been associated with a decreased cancer risk. Phytochemicals present in fruits and their products (i.e. polyphenols, anthocyanins, carotenoids) have been linked to the anticancer activity. M. pajang kernel extract has been found to contain high polyphenol and flavonoid content and displayed superior antioxidant properties compared to the peel and flesh extracts of the fruit [1]. This research was conducted to investigate the anticancer potential of the kernel extract of M. pajang. The results showed that the kernel crude extract induced cytotoxicity in MCF-7 (hormone-dependent breast cancer) cells and MDA-MB-231 (non-hormone dependent breast cancer) cells with IC₅₀ values of 23 and 30.5µg/ml, respectively. The kernel extract induced cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells at Sub-G₁ (apoptosis) in a time-dependent manner. Interestingly, for MDA-MB-231, the kernel extract induced strong G2-M arrest in cell cycle progression at 24 hours, resulting in the high Sub-G1 (apoptosis) arrest after 48 and 72 hours of incubation. This apoptosis appears to be caspase-2 and caspase-3 dependent in MCF-7; and caspase-2, caspase-3 and caspase-9 dependent in MDA-MB-231 as studied using ELISA method. These findings suggest M. pajang kernel extract has potential as a potent cytotoxic agent in both hormone and non-hormone dependent breast cancer cell lines. The mechanisms for the cytotoxic effects might be associated with caspases activation and G2-M cell cycle arrest leading to the induction of apoptosis.

Acknowledgements: Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Putra Malaysia, University of Nottingham, UK and Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia (MOSTI).

Reference: [1] Abu Bakar, M.F. et al. (2009) Food Chem. 113:479–483.