Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq
  • 2 Biotechnology Research Center, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq
  • 3 Department of Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq. ali.btc80@gmail.com
  • 4 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia
  • 5 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia. jr_alobaidi@yahoo.com
J Genet Eng Biotechnol, 2023 Jul 02;21(1):75.
PMID: 37393563 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-023-00529-2

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Cancer is a major issue in medical science with increasing death cases every year worldwide. Therefore, searching for alternatives and nonorthodox methods of treatments with high efficiency, selectivity and less toxicity is the main goal in fighting cancer. Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA), is a derivative pentacyclic triterpenoid that exhibited various biological activities with potential anti-tumoral agents. In this research, AKBA was utilized to examine the potential cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells in vitro and monitor the cellular and morphological changes with a prospective impact on apoptosis induction.

METHODS: The cytotoxic activity of AKBA was measured by 3(4,5dimethylthiazole- 2-yl)-2,5 diphyneltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. A dose-dependent inhibition in MCF-7 cell viability was detected. The clonogenicity of MCF-7 cells was significantly suppressed by AKBA increment in comparison with untreated cells.

RESULT: Morphologically, exposure of MCF-7 cells to high AKBA concentrations caused changes in cell nuclear morphology which was indicated by increasing in nuclear size and cell permeability intensity. The mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was reduced by increasing AKBA concentration with a significant release of cytochrome c. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide dual staining experiment confirmed that MCF-7 cells treated with AKBA (IC50 concentration) displayed a late stage of apoptosis indicated by intense and bright reddish colour.

CONCLUSION: A significant increase in reactive oxygen species formation was observed. Caspase 8 and caspase 9 activities were estimated and AKBA activated the production of caspase 8 and caspase 9 in a dose-dependent pattern. Finally, the cell phase distribution analysis was conducted, and flow cytometric analysis showed that AKBA at 200 μg mL-1 significantly arrest MCF-7 cells at the G1 phase and triggered apoptosis.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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