Identification of a p53-Dependent Pathway in the Induction of Apoptosis of Human Breast Cancer Cells by the Natural Product, Resveratrol

Abstract

Resveratrol, a constituent found in grapes and various other plants, has been shown to have chemo-preventive activity against cancer, and specifically demonstrated to induce apoptosis by p53-dependent pathways in murine cells. The goal of this research was to identify the role of p53-dependent or p53-independent pathways in the induction of apoptosis in human breast cancer cells by this natural product. A number of human breast cancer cell lines, as well as a control of a wild-type line (astrocytoma N 1321N1), were investigated for induction of apoptosis by resveratrol using both microscopic evaluation and DNA fragmentation assays. Concurrently, we established the p53 gene status (wild-type or mutant) of each cell line by Western blot using p53-specific antibody. Apoptosis induced by resveratrol was found to occur only in breast cancer cells expressing wild-type p53 but not in mutant p53-expressing cells. We therefore conclude that the natural product, resveratrol, induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells via p53-dependent pathways.