Naringenin inhibits cell growth and migration in human breast cancer cell lines

Abstract

Naringenin (NGEN) is a flavanone especially abundant in the Mediterranean diet (citrus fruits and tomato), which is reported to present anti-proliferative effects in many cancer cell lines and to induce apoptosis via activation of NF-κB. Previous studies reported that NGEN has estrogen agonistic and antagonistic activities in distinct types of cells. Knowing that estrogens are cell growth promoters, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of NGEN (at concentrations ranging from 1 μM to 100 μM) using a human breast cancer oestrogen receptor-dependent (ERα+/ERβ+) cell line (MCF-7) and an ER-independent (ERα−/ERβ−) cell line (SKBR-3). Although cell viability was not affected by NGEN alone at any concentration used in either cell line, incubation of cells with NGEN together with 1nM 17β-estradiol resulted in decreased cell viability in MCF-7 cells but not in SKBR-3. These findings are in agreement with the literature, suggesting that NGEN effects depend on the presence or absence of ER. Apoptosis was further evaluated after incubation of both types of cells with 10 μM NGEN. Cell migration was also affected by incubation with 10 μM NGEN as analyzed by injury assay and by double-chamber assay. These ongoing studies suggest that dietary flavanone NGEN exerts inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth and migration, and emphasize that these effects might be mediated by the presence of ER. Supported by FCT (POCTI, FEDER and Programa Comunitário de Apoio).