Pomegranate Seed Extract Enhances the Inhibitory Effect of Adipose- Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Breast Cancer Cell Line in Co-Culture Conditions Publisher

Summary: A study found pomegranate extract with stem cells boosts breast cancer cell death, offering a new treatment approach. #CancerResearch #BreastCancer

Moradigharibvand N¹ ; Setayeshmehr M² ; Kazemi M³ ; Safaee A¹ ; Khorsandi L⁴ ; Nejad D⁵ ; Hasheminia S⁶ ; Hashemibeni B¹
Source: Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences Published:2022

Abstract

Background and purpose: Pomegranate seed extract (PSE) possesses anticancer activities and healing effects. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are being considered a new candidate for cancer treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of PSE on the cell cycle and apoptosis of the MCF-7 cell line in the co-culture condition with ADSCs. Experimental approach: MCF-7 and ADSC cells (ratio 1/1) were cultured in a transwell plate with and without PSE (PSE-co-culture and co-culture groups). MCF-7 cells were cultured in monolayer without and with PSE (mono-culture and PSE-mono-culture groups). MCF-7 cell line was harvested on day 5 and cell viability, apoptotic activity, cell cycle, and gene expression were evaluated. Findings / Results: The results of the MTT assay indicated that PSE at 100 μg/mL has the highest cytotoxicity on the MCF-7 in the PSE-co-culture group. The cell cycle analysis revealed that ADSCs in combination with PSE significantly increased the population of MCF-7 cells in the G1 phase, resulting in the arrest of MCF-7 cells cycle in the G0/G1 transition. In addition, the most apoptotic MCF-7 cells (41.5%) were detected in the same group. Expression of BAX and caspase3 genes were upregulated while anti-apoptotic (BCL-2) and angiogenesis inducer (VEGF) genes were downregulated in the PSE-co-culture group compared with the other groups. Conclusion and implications: ADSCs reduced cell viability and proliferation of MCF-7 cells in co-culture conditions and adding PSE to the medium increased the apoptosis of cancer cells. This study suggests that ADSCs with PSE can suppress tumor cells. © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.