Bioactive glycoalkaloides isolated from Solanum melongena fruit peels with potential anticancer properties against hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Mostafa I Fekry,Ohoud Y Alshehri,Ahmed M Al-Abd,Maha M Salama,Shahira M Ezzat

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36089-6

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is progressively increasing tumor with lack of accurate prognosis and inadequate systemic treatment approaches. Solanum sp. (such as Solanum melongena) is a folk herb which is reported to possess anticancer properties. In a continuity for our interest in pursuing the anticancer activity of compounds isolated from the fruit peels of Solanum melongena, the HPLC profiling and ESI-MS assessment for the methanolic extract evidenced the presence of bioactive glycoalkaloids (solasonine, solasodine and solamargine). These glycoalkaloids were isolated, purified and proved to possess in vitro cytotoxicity against human liver cancer cell lines (Huh7 and HepG2). Herein, we investigated the potential mechanism of action of these compounds using DNA content flow-cytometry and apoptosis/necrosis differential anaylsis using annexin-V/FITC staining. Solasonine, solasodine and solamargine inducd significant antiproliferative effect against liver cancer cells (Huh7 and HepG2) which was attributed to cell cycle arrest at S-phase. Solamargine, solasodine and solasonine induced significant apoptosis in Huh7 cells. Only solamargine-induced cell cycle arrest, was reflected as apoptotic cell killing effect against HepG2 cells. In conclusion, glycoalkaloids derived from Solanum melongena and particularly, solamargine are promising antiproliferative agents with potential anticancer effects.

Highlights

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is progressively increasing solid tumor type with poor prognosis and inadequate systemic treatment approaches
We investigated in some details the antiproliferative/cytotoxic, cell cycle interfering and apoptosis inducing profile of the three biologically active glycoalkaloids against two liver cancer cell lines HepG2 and Huh-7 cells
Solasodine was first to be eluted from the melongena fruit peels (MEP) at 12 min (Fig. 1-B) followed by solasonine at 14.3 min (Fig. 1-C), solamargine at 15 min (Fig. 1-D)

Summary

Introduction

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is progressively increasing solid tumor type with poor prognosis and inadequate systemic treatment approaches. It is clear that development and progression of various liver diseases are accompanied with minimal increase or decrease in hepatocyte apoptosis. This in turn leads to extending hepatocyte cell viability and accumulated genetic mutations[5]. The conjugates of solasodine aglycone showed anticancer activity against human colon and liver cancer cells[18]. We investigated in some details the antiproliferative/cytotoxic, cell cycle interfering and apoptosis inducing profile of the three biologically active glycoalkaloids (solasonine, solasodine and solamargine) against two liver cancer cell lines HepG2 and Huh-7 cells

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion