Abstract
Recently, we reported that an ethanol extract of Iris nertschinskia induces p53-dependent apoptosis in the MCF7 human breast cancer cell line. However, the detailed mechanisms were not fully explored. Here, we demonstrate another aspect of the activity of I. nertschinskia in breast cancer cells. We compared the response to an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia in two different human breast cancer cell lines, Hs578Tand MDA-MB231, respectively with relatively low and high AKT1/2 activity by trypan blue exclusion assay and FACS analysis. Knockdown of endogenous AKT1 or AKT2 in breast cancer cells by RNA interference determined the sensitivity to I. nertschinskia ethanol extract compared to control cells. The I. nertschinskia ethanol extract induced cell death in a manner that depended on the level of phosphorylated AKT1/2 protein and was associated with a significant increase in the sub-G1 cell population, indicative of apoptosis. Our results indicate that an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia differentially induces cell death in breast cancer cells depending on their level of phosphorylated AKT1/2.
Highlights
Iris species have activities that are beneficial for the treatment of diverse human diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, and viral infections (Han, 1988; Steinegger et al, 1988)
The I. nertschinskia ethanol extract induced cell death in a manner that depended on the level of phosphorylated AKT1/2 protein and was associated with a significant increase in the sub-G1 cell population, indicative of apoptosis
Our results indicate that an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia differentially induces cell death in breast cancer cells depending on their level of phosphorylated AKT1/2
Summary
Iris species have activities that are beneficial for the treatment of diverse human diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, and viral infections (Han, 1988; Steinegger et al, 1988). Jae-Sik Shin et al including breast, colon, prostate, and ovarian cancer (Lobenhofer et al, 2000; Saif et al, 2010; Sarker et al, 2009; Blagden et al, 2009; Liu et al, 2009). We previously reported that an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia induces p53-dependent apoptosis in the MCF7 human breast cancer cell line (Shin et al, 2011). We investigated the inhibitory effects and mechanisms of action of an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia on the Hs578T and MDA-MB231 human breast carcinoma cell lines, which differ in their levels of AKT1/2 activity. Our results demonstrated an association between AKT activity and cellular sensitivity to the cytotoxic effects of an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia
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