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Dietary flavonoid carvacrol triggers the apoptosis of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells via the p53/Bax/Bcl-2 axis

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Abstract

Recently, numerous studies have shown that natural compounds such as carvacrol can be used as therapeutic agents for medicinal purposes. Although carvacrol was found to suppress breast cancer cell lines, however, whether the therapeutic effect of carvacrol on breast cancer is caused by increasing the expression of pro-apoptotic genes in the MCF-7 cell line has not been studied. In this research, we investigate the effect of carvacrol on the expression of P53, pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic BCL-2 genes in MCF-7 cells. After preparation and cultivation of MCF-7 cells, the IC50 value of carvacrol on the cells was evaluated by MTT assay, and then apoptosis induction was observed in the cell line treated with different concentrations of carvacrol by DAPI staining. To assess the expression level of Bax, P53 and Bcl-2 both in genes and protein levels QPCR method and western blot analysis were used. According to the results of the research, it was determined that the IC50 of carvacrol compound in MCF-7 cells is 305 µM. DAPI staining exhibit apoptosis and morphological changes in treated MCF-7 cells. Real-time PCR assay and western blot showed increasing the Bax and P53 expression and decreasing the expression of the Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic gene and protein. These results showed that carvacrol has cell growth inhibition effects on the MCF-7 cancer cell line. Carvacrol-induced p53-dependent apoptosis, which might be related to the Bax/Bcl-2 associated pathway. These results indicated that carvacrol could be considered suitable for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

With the memory of the late Dr. Alinazar Salehinia, the founder of Khorrman Pharmaceutical Company, who helped us in carrying out and improving the quality of this research with his valuable guidance. This research was approved by The Ethics Committee of Lorestan University of Medical Sciences (IR.LUMS.REC.1399.034).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Genetics, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran

    Ayat Moradipour & Changiz Ahmadizadeh

  2. Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Lorestan, Iran

    Hassan Dariushnejad & Hamed Esmaiil Lashgarian

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  1. Ayat Moradipour
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  2. Hassan Dariushnejad
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  4. Hamed Esmaiil Lashgarian
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Correspondence to Hassan Dariushnejad.

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Moradipour, A., Dariushnejad, H., Ahmadizadeh, C. et al. Dietary flavonoid carvacrol triggers the apoptosis of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells via the p53/Bax/Bcl-2 axis. Med Oncol 40, 46 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-022-01918-2

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