Oleuropein exhibits anticancer effects by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cell motility in MCF7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i3.1577Abstract
Background: Globally, breast cancer stands as one of the primary causes of cancer-related deaths, with chemotherapy as the primary treatment modality. However, drug resistance and the absence of effective treatment options for aggressive subtypes, particularly triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), necessitate the exploration of novel therapeutic agents derived from natural sources. Oleuropein, a bioactive polyphenolic compound found in olive fruits and leaves, has demonstrated potential anticancer properties.
Objective: This research is aimed to examine the effects of oleuropein in its isolated compound form (oleuropein compound, OLC) and extract form (olive leaf extract, OLE), on two distinct breast cancer cell lines: estrogen, CF7 and progesterone receptor-positive (HR+), TNBC MDA-MB231, cells. The focus of this research was to assess cytotoxicity, apoptosis induction, inhibition of cell motility and spreading at low concentrations of oleuropein (1, 5, and 10 μM).
Methods: Oleuropein effects on the breast cancer cell lines were explored using flow cytometry, utilizing 7-Aminoactinomycin D and Annexin V staining to measure cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Functional experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of oleuropein on cell motility and spreading. Using IC50 values that were determined for both cell lines, the compound's antiproliferative effects were quantified
Results: The IC50 values for oleuropein were 16.99 ± 3.4 μM for MCF7 and 27.62 ± 2.38 μM for MDA-MB231 cells, indicating greater sensitivity in HR+ cells compared to TNBC cells. Using oleuropein significantly reduced cell growth and induced apoptosis in both cell lines. Functional assays revealed that oleuropein impaired cell motility and reduced spreading, suggesting its potential to suppress metastatic behavior.
Conclusion: This research offers new insights into the anticancer potential of oleuropein, a bioactive compound from olive leaves and fruits. It demonstrates oleuropein's ability to induce apoptosis and inhibit cell motility in both hormone receptor-positive (MCF7) and triple-negative (MDA- MB231) breast cancer cells. Unlike prior studies focusing solely on oleuropein's cytotoxicity, this work emphasizes its dual role in reducing metastatic behavior and promoting cell death at low concentrations, suggesting its promise as a functional food-derived therapeutic agent for breast cancer management.
Keywords: Oleuropein; breast cancer; MCF7; MDA-MB231; apoptosis; functional food; natural bioactive compound
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