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Neferine increase in vitro anticancer effect of dehydroepiandrosterone on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

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Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the in vitro anticancer reinforcing effects of neferine (Nef) on dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and the mechanism was also determined during the investigation. By the growth effects of Nef and DHEA on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, 8 mg/mL Nef was a non-virulent concentration in MCF-7 cells, and this concentration was used for further experiment. In 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, 30 mg/mL DHEA showed 49.4 % growth inhibitory effect in MCF-7 cells, whereas Nef (8 mg/mL) + DHEA (30 mg/mL) treatment had the higher effect at 67.8 %. The flow cytometry analysis results showed that 15 and 30 mg/mL DHEA-treated MCF-7 cells had 12.2 and 21.6 % apoptotic cells, respectively, Nef + DHEA could raise the apoptotic cells to 36.7 %. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay shows remarkable results according to which DHEA could significantly increase caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, Bax, p53, p21, E2F1, Fas, FasL mRNA expressions and decrease Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, HIAP-1, HIAP-2, survivin expressions as compared to the untreated control cancer cells. Moreover, these effects depend on the concentration of DHEA, and Nef which could further strengthen these effects. From these results, low concentration of Nef could not influence the growth of MCF-7 cells, but using its sensitization effect, Nef raised the in vitro effects of DHEA. Nef could be got easily. With these results we can accomplish that Nef + DHEA might be used as the new anticancer materials combination.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Radiotherapy, Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, People’s Republic of China

      Dingyi Yang

    2. Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Education, 9 Xuefu Main Street, Nan’an District, Chongqing, 400067, People’s Republic of China

      Xiaochuan Zou, Ruokun Yi & Xin Zhao

    3. Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Center for Functional Food, Chongqing University of Education, Chongqing, 400067, People’s Republic of China

      Ruokun Yi & Xin Zhao

    4. Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Functional Food, Chongqing University of Education, Chongqing, 400067, People’s Republic of China

      Ruokun Yi & Xin Zhao

    5. Chongqing Engineering Laboratory for Research and Development of Functional Food, Chongqing University of Education, Chongqing, 400067, People’s Republic of China

      Ruokun Yi & Xin Zhao

    6. School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People’s Republic of China

      Weiwei Liu

    7. Chongqing Enterprise Engineering Research Center of Ba-lotus Breeding and Deep Processing, Shiqiaopu, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing, 400041, People’s Republic of China

      Deguang Peng

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    1. Dingyi Yang
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    Correspondence to Deguang Peng or Xin Zhao.

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    Dingyi Yang and Xiaochuan Zou have contributed equally to this work.

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    Yang, D., Zou, X., Yi, R. et al. Neferine increase in vitro anticancer effect of dehydroepiandrosterone on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Appl Biol Chem 59, 585–596 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13765-016-0199-y

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