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Bromelain mediates apoptosis in HeLa cells via ROS-independent pathway

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Abstract

Several in vitro studies along with some in vivo studies have shown the anti-cancer activity of bromelain against several types of cancer except cervical cancer. This study is focused to address the therapeutic effect of bromelain on a human cervical cancer cell line in vitro using HeLa cells. Here, the IC50 dose of bromelain enhanced Hela cell apoptosis at a concentration of 100 μg/ml after 48 h treatment, which is statistically significant compared to the dose of 50 μg/ml (p < 0.01). The percentage of live cells was reduced to about 48% and the percentage of apoptotic cells has increased to about 47% at the IC50 dose of bromelain with a 48 h exposure. Significant proportions of HeLa cells were observed to undergo apoptosis via the p53-dependent pathway in a ROS-independent manner at 100 μg/ml after 48 h treatment. In addition to that, bromelain also inhibited the formation of colonies and the migratory ability of HeLa cells. The present study reports that bromelain can act in an apoptotic pathway on human cervical cancer cell line HeLa.

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Abbreviations

AO:

Acridine orange

DAPI:

4′,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole

DMEM:

Dulbeccos modified eagle medium

DMSO:

Dimethyl sulfoxide

EDTA:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

EtBr:

Ethidium bromide

FITC:

Fluorescein isothiocyanate

HRP:

Horseradish peroxidase

MTT:

3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide

NBT:

Nitroblue tetrazolium

NFDM:

Non fat dry milk

PI:

Propidium iodide

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

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Acknowledgements

Authors acknowledge the State Biotech Hub of Tripura and Central Instrumental Facility of Tripura University for providing instruments facility. The authors are also thankful to Prof. Sib Sankar Roy, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology for providing the Flow cytometry facility.

Funding

The work is supported by National Postdoctoral Fellowship (NPDF) [PDF/2016/002726] from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India to A.P.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Physiology, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, Tripura, India

    Ayantika Pal & Samir Kumar Sil

  2. Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, MATS University, Aarang, Chhattisgarh, India

    Ayantika Pal

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  1. Ayantika Pal
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Correspondence to Ayantika Pal or Samir Kumar Sil.

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This article does not contain any studies involving animals performed by any of the authors. This article does not contain any studies involving human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Ayantika Pal has no conflict of interest. Samir Kumar Sil has no coflict of interest

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Pal, A., Sil, S.K. Bromelain mediates apoptosis in HeLa cells via ROS-independent pathway. ADV TRADIT MED (ADTM) 23, 605–616 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-022-00638-2

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