Anticancer potential of dietary flavonoid apigenin in breast cancer cell


Goran Gajski, Mutagenesis Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivana Vrhovac Madunić, Molecular Toxicology Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Josip Madunić, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Antunović, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Mladen Paradžik, Laboratory for Cell Biology and Signalling, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Davorka Breljak, Molecular Toxicology Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Inga Marijanović, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Vera Garaj-Vrhovac, Mutagenesis Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia

Cancer represents the disease of the millennium and is regarded as one of the major public health problems. The proliferation of tumour cells, angiogenesis, and the relationship between the cancer cells and the components of the extracellular matrix are important in the events of carcinogenesis, and these pathways are being used as targets for new anticancer treatments. For over 50 years, natural products have served us well in combating cancer with one of the main sources of these successful compounds coming from plants. The search for novel drugs is still a priority goal for cancer therapy, due to the rapid development of resistance to chemotherapeutics. Moreover, the high toxicity usually associated with some chemotherapy drugs and their undesirable side‐effects increase the demand for novel anticancer drugs active against untreatable tumours, with less side‐effects and higher therapeutic efficiency. Apigenin is a natural flavonoid found in several dietary plant foods such as vegetables and fruits. A large number of studies conducted over the past years have shown that this particular natural compound has several beneficial properties, generating a great deal of interest as a possible therapeutic modality. Therefore, to investigate potential anticancer properties of apigenin on human breast cancer, ER-positive MCF-7 and triple-negative MDA MB-231 cells were used. Moreover, toxicological safety of apigenin towards normal cells was evaluated in human lymphocytes. Cytotoxicity of apigenin towards cancer cells was evaluated by MTT assay whereas further genotoxic and oxidative stress responses were measured by the comet and lipid peroxidation assays in addition to the type of cell death induced by apigenin. Toxicological safety towards normal cells was evaluated by the cell viability and comet assays. After the treatment with apigenin, we observed changes in cell morphology in a dose- (10 to 100 μM) and time-dependent manner. Moreover, apigenin caused cell death in both cell lines leading to significant toxicity and dominantly to apoptosis. Furthermore, apigenin proved to be genotoxic towards the selected cancer cells with a potential to induce oxidative damage to lipids. Of great importance is that no significant cytogenotoxic effects were detected in normal non-target cells. The observed cytogenotoxic and pro-cell death activities of apigenin coupled with its low toxicity towards normal cells indicate that this natural product could be used as a future anticancer modality. Therefore, further analyses to determine the exact mechanism of action and in vivo studies on animal models are required to enable its translation from bench to bedside.


Abstract Reference & Short Personal Biography of Presenting Author

Goran Gajski, PhD is a Research Associate at the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health in Zagreb, Croatia with the scientific background in biochemistry and molecular biology. In the frame of his work he use various methodological approaches, both in vitro and in vivo, on different cell and animal models with a goal of investigating the effects of different physical and chemical agents on organisms, tissues, cells and cell structures with special emphasis on DNA molecule. Moreover, the scope of his work also comprises human biomonitoring studies which aim at revealing the impact of various physical and chemical agents on human population both in environmental and occupational settings. Up till now, Goran Gajski has published a large number of scientific publications in peer-reviewed books and journals, and has received several national and international awards for his work.

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