Effect of Turkish pollen and propolis extracts on caspase-3 activity in myeloid cancer cell lines

Meltem Uçar,Asuman Yiğit Gerigelmez,Orhan Değer,Ercüment Ovalı,Sevil Cengiz,Yaşam Barlak

doi:10.4314/tjpr.v15i11.20

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the apoptosis-inducing capacity of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extracts of bee pollen and propolis in HL-60 Myeloid Cancer Cell Lines. Methods: DMSO extracts of pollen and propolis were incubated separately with HL-60 cells, and caspase-3 activity evaluated. In order to determine the cell cycle characteristics of HL-60 cells with and without extracts of pollen and propolis, the cells were analysed using flow cytometry. Results: The DMSO extract of propolis (0.5 mg/mL) increased apoptosis from undetectable levels to 60.1 %, while maintaining cell viability. The DMSO extract of pollen (2 mg/ml) increased apoptosis from undetectable levels to 52.2 % while decreasing cell viability by 62 %. Caspase-3 activity in HL-60 cells incubated with DMSO extracts of pollen and propolis were 3.6- to 12-fold higher than in controls. Conclusion: Turkish pollen and propolis individually increase apoptosis and the activity of caspase-3 in HL-60 cells. This finding indicates that bee products may have beneficial effects in the treatment of cancer. Keywords: Pollen, Propolis, Apoptosis, Caspase-3, Myeloid Cancer

Highlights

Pollen is produced by bees after collecting millions of pollen and they use it as a food [1]
MNC and HL-60 myeloid cancer cells were incubated in propolis and pollen extracts of final concentrations of 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/mL in RPMI 1640 containing 10 % fetal calf serum, 1 % penicillin and streptomycin under 5 % CO2 pressure at 37 oC for 72 h
Cell viability was lower in cancer cells treated with 2 and 1 mg/mL propolis extracts (< 60 %)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Pollen is produced by bees after collecting millions of pollen and they use it as a food [1]. DMSO extracts of propolis and pollen at different concentrations were used to investigate antitumor and apoptosis-inducing activity in myeloid HL-60 cell line with lymphoid cell culture as a control. MNC and HL-60 myeloid cancer cells were incubated in propolis and pollen extracts of final concentrations of 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/mL in RPMI 1640 containing 10 % fetal calf serum, 1 % penicillin and streptomycin under 5 % CO2 pressure at 37 oC for 72 h. Pollen DMSO extract (2 mg/mL) had higher apoptotic activity (52.2 %) in HL-60 cancer cells than control and other groups. The highest concentration (2 mg/mL pollen DMSO extracts) had increased cell number in which S and G2M phase were high. DMSO pollen extract had a 1.75 fold increase in caspase-3 activity in MNC cells (data not shown)

RESULTS

Findings

Conflict of Interest