Investigation of Apoptotic Effects of Hypericum perforatum Extract on Breast Cancer Cell Line

Abstract

Hypericum perforatum has biological active contents affecting a variety of proteins such as caspase-3, bcl-2, and bax, which mediate apoptosis known as programmed cell death and exerting anti-inflammatory effect. Apoptotic pathways are important for cancers, chemotherapeutic resistance, and cancer development. Anti-inflammatory agents are also a potential target for cancer. Therefore, it was aimed to investigate the activity of caspase-3 and the expressions of bcl-2, bax, wee 1, gadd153, grp78, AIF, iNOS, COX-2, cPLA2, and NF-κB in H. perforatum extract-treated breast cancer (BC) cells in this study. The activity of caspase-3 and the expressions of these proteins were determined in the cells by ELISA. The HP extract increased the activity of caspase-3 and the expressions of bax, wee 1, gadd153, grp78 and AIF, and decreased the expressions of bcl-2, COX-2, iNOS, cPLA2 and NF-κB in the BC cells. In the light of these findings, HP extract could help to inhibit grow of BC cells and its anti-inflammatory effect may contribute this effect.