ANNONA MURICATA NON‐SELECTIVELY SUPPRESS PC3 CELLS by INHIBITNG CELL PROLIFERATION and INDUCING CELL CYCLE ARREST

Abstract

Annona muricata (AM) also known as graviola or soursop is a tropical evergreen tree that belongs to family Annonaceae. The leaves of the tree have various therapeutic benefits against numerous diseases including various multi drug resistant cancers. The major phytochemical constituents associated with its anticancer activity are annonaceous acetogenis (AAGs). It was hypothesized that AAGs exhibit their anticancer activity by possibly inhibiting mitochondrial NADH‐ubiquinone complex which limits the ATP supply to the cancer cells. However, the exact mechanism is unknown. The purpose of the study was to determine whether ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) is selectively kills prostate cancer cells and the mechanism by which the EAF induces cell death or reduces cell proliferation.3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐y1)‐5‐(3‐carboxymethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(4‐sulfopheny1)‐2H‐tetrazolium (MTS) cell viability assay was performed on both cancer and healthy cells and it was observed that EAF non‐selectively reduces cell viability of PC3 cells and non‐cancer cells. To further examine the effect of EAF on PC3 cells, cell proliferation assay was performed, and it was observed that EAF inhibits cell proliferation in PC3 cells. Western blot analysis for cyclin D1 expression level was performed and EAF exposed cells showed reduced cyclin D1 levels suggesting that AM induces cell cycle arrest in PC3 cells. Immunoblotting analysis suggested that there was no significant effect on poly (ADP ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP‐1) expression levels however EAF significantly increases c‐PARP expression levels indicating that EAF does not induce apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. These results suggest that EAF reduces cell viability of PC3 cells by inhibiting cell proliferation via inducing cell cycle arrest.