New Antineoplastic Agent, MK615, from UME (a Variety of) Japanese Apricot Inhibits Growth of Breast Cancer Cells in vitro

Abstract

MK615 is an extract mixture containing hydrophobic substances from Japanese apricot. In this study, the antineoplastic effects of MK615 against breast cancer cells were investigated. Two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-468 (MDA) and MCF7, were cultured with (600, 300, and 150 mug/mL) or without MK615. After 72 hours of incubation, growth inhibition was evaluated by MTT assay. The cells were then cultured with MK615 (300 mug/mL) and morphological changes were studied by light and electron microscopy. Finally, the mechanism of the antineoplastic effect of MK615 was evaluated by cell cycle and apoptosis assay. MK615 inhibited the growth of MDA and MCF7 in a dose-dependent manner. The percentage growth inhibition of MDA at dosages of 600, 300, and 150 mug/mL was 59.2%, 52.4%, and 23.3%, respectively, and that for MCF7 was 83.5%, 52.7%, and 16.6%, respectively. Morphological changes after MK615 treatment included massive vacuolization in the cytoplasm and apoptotic changes in the nucleus. These changes began to be apparent after at least 6 hours of incubation. Cell cycle analysis showed that MK615 increased the proportion of cells in the G2-M phase in both MDA (7.8-11.7%) and MCF7 (8.1-18.7%), and finally both cell lines became apoptotic. The proportion of apoptotic cells increased with incubation time. MK615 effectively inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells in vitro, possibly by cell cycle modification and apotosis induction. MK615 should be further investigated as a promising anti-breast cancer agent.

MK615 inhibits pancreatic cancer cell growth by dual inhibition of Aurora A and B kinases

“…Previous studies have revealed that MK615 has anti-neoplastic effects against gastric cancer [1] , breast cancer [2] , hepatocellular carcinoma [3] , and colon cancer [4] . The mechanisms responsible for the anti-neoplastic effect of MK615 include induction of apoptosis [1,2] and autophagy [4] , and suppression of Aurora A kinase [3] in cancer cells. However, the entire mechanisms of the anti-neoplastic effects of MK615 have not been elucidated.…”

IgA Nephropathy and Psoriatic Arthritis that Improved with Steroid Pulse Therapy and Mizoribine in Combination with Treatment for Chronic Tonsillitis and Epipharyngitis

“…MK615 is a compound made by condensing and extracting Japanese apricot and has been reported to have various effects, including antitumor, anti-inflammatory and liver-supporting functions. MK615 inhibits the release of cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-6, and may represent a useful therapeutic agent for chronic periodontitis, a condition that is also reported to cause focal infections (18,19). In our facility, we have used nose drops containing MK615 for chronic epipharyngitis for several years.…”

Induction of apoptosis by ethanol extract of Prunus mume in U937 human leukemia cells through activation of caspases

“…From ancient times, various parts of P. mume have been used as a health food and a medicinal agent for the treatment of fever, cough, and intestinal disorders. In addition, recent studies have reported that P. mume possesses various pharmacological activities, including inhibition of influenza A virus and motility of Helicobacter pylori, potential sources of free radical scavengers, improvement of blood fluidity, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer action (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28). However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the apoptotic effects of P. mume have not yet been determined in human cancer cells.…”

“…Previous reports have suggested that P. mume exerts a wide array of pharmacological and biological activities, such as potential sources of free radical scavengers, inhibition of influenza A virus, inhibition of the motility of Helicobacter pylori, improvement of blood fluidity, and inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). In addition, P. mume has been known to exert anticancer activities in several types of human cancer cells (26)(27)(28). However, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of P. mume are not yet fully understood.…”