Inhibition of cell growth and down-regulation of telomerase activity by amygdalin in human cancer cell lines

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of amygdalin on cell growth and telomerase activity in human cancer and MRC-5 fibroblast cell lines. The level of β-glucosidase activity for releasing cyanide was significantly (P < .05) higher in cancer cell lines (A-549, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and U87-MG) than in MRC-5 fibroblasts. Growth rate of cancer cells was apparently inhibited in concentrations above 10 mg/ml amygdalin with senescent-like abnormal morphology. Whereas the effects were absent or marginally detected in MRC-5 fibroblasts. High incidence of β-galactosidase activity was observed in amygdalin-treated cancer cells, compared with that of untreated control while no difference was observed between the control and amygdalin-treated MRC-5 fibroblasts. Furthermore, level of telomerase activity was significantly (P < .05) higher (∼8-13 fold) in cancer cell lines along with high expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA component (TERC) than in MRC-5 fibroblasts which did not expressed TERT and TERC. However, telomerase activity was significantly (P < .05) down-regulated in amygdalin-treated cancer cells with the decreased expression of TERT and TERC compared with control cancer cells. There were no difference in the telomerase activity between control and amygdalin-treated MRC-5 fibroblasts. Based on these observations, we concluded that amygdalin treatment offers a valuable option for the cancer treatment, causing inhibition of cell growth and down-regulation of telomerase activity in human cancer cell lines by increasing β-glucosidase activity.

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“…Krebs (1940) discovered that Beta-glucosidase splits vitamin B17 into toxic cyanide ions Results ensured that amygdalin extracted from apricot kernels had appreciable anticancer activity towards colorectal (HT-29) cancer cell line with IC50 valued 30 µM. Our results were in accordance with Moon et al (2015) who concluded that amygdalin inhibited cell growth and down-regulation of telomerase activity by increasing ßglucosidase activity. Amygdalin had antitumor by inducing apoptosis and regulating immune function Shi et al (2019).…”

Induction of telomere shortening and cellular apoptosis by sodium meta-arsenite in human cancer cell lines

“…Even though the present study has not investigated the cytotoxic effects, such as the proliferation & apoptosis in normal cell lines after prolonged exposure at 1 μM SMA concentration, we have assumed that the less cellular cytotoxic effects on cell proliferation by treatment of SMA are exhibited in the normal cell lines than those of cancer cell lines when compared with our earlier results, and probably that SMA could be considered as a selective anti-tumor drug for chemotherapy treatment. The selective cytotoxicity-inducing compounds could be more effective as anti-tumor drugs for therapeutic treatment of cancer cells with less cytotoxic effects in the normal cell lines than cancer cells (Jeon et al 2011a ; Moon et al 2015 ).…”

“…The β-galactosidase enzyme is a glycoside hydrolase that break glycosidic bonds. The endogenous lysosomal β-galactosidase protein is generally overexpressed in the senescent cells, and thus cellular aging and senescence is measured by its activity (Lee et al 2006 ; Moon et al 2015 ). The treatment of SMA has shown higher activity of senescence-associated-β-galactosidase in the present study, implying that cellular senescence was proceeding.…”

Evaluation of the effect of amygdalin on survivin gene expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line

“…In recent study the effect of amygdalin on cell growth and telomerase activity in human cancer and MRC-5 fibroblast cell lines investigated and it was found that above 10 mg/ml concentration of amygdalin inhibited the growth rate of cancer cells. Also, their research indicated that telomerase activity significantly down-regulated in amygdalintreated cancer cell lines (A-549, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and U87-MG) with the decreased expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA component (TERC) compared with control cancer cells (MOON et al, 2015). Their findings confirmed the results of the present study on effects of amygdalin on inhibition of MCF-7 growth and leading to the mortality and prevention of the spreading of these cancer cell lines after treating by this herbal compound.…”