The Effects of Althaea officinalis L. Extract on Cell Viability, Invasion, and Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of methanol (AOME) and ethyl acetate (AOEE) extracts obtained from the flowers of Althaea officinalis L., which is known for its high antioxidant capacity, on prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP and PC3), as well as their inhibitory effects on cell migration and invasion, and their influence on pro-apoptotic gene expression. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, while cell migration and invasion were analyzed using the scratch assay. Changes in pro-apoptotic gene expression were evaluated by real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), as determined at the IC₅₀ concentrations obtained from cytotoxicity tests. The results showed that AOME and AOEE induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity in both cell lines. The IC₅₀ values were found to be 1.1×10⁻³ μg/mL (AOME) and 11×10⁻⁵ μg/mL (AOEE) for PC3 cells, and 0.21×10⁻³ μg/mL (AOME) and 0.45×10⁻³ μg/mL (AOEE) for LNCaP cells. Scratch assay analyses demonstrated that both extracts significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion compared to the control group. Additionally, RT-qPCR analyses revealed that pro-apoptotic gene expression was significantly increased, and anti-apoptotic gene expression was significantly decreased in treated cells (p<0.05). These findings suggest that A. officinalis extracts possess properties that reduce cell viability, inhibit migration and invasion, and promote apoptosis in prostate cancer cells, indicating that the extract may have therapeutic potential against prostate cancer and warrant further validation through comprehensive molecular investigations.

Keywords

• Althaea officinalis
• apoptosis
• prostate cancer
• wound healing

Althaea officinalis L. Ekstraktının Prostat Kanserinde Hücre Canlılığı, İnvazyon ve Apoptoz Üzerindeki Etkileri

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, yüksek antioksidan kapasitesi ile bilinen Althaea officinalis L. çiçeklerinden elde edilen metanol (AOME) ve etil asetat (AOEE) ekstrelerinin prostat kanseri hücre hatları (LNCaP ve PC3) üzerindeki sitotoksik etkilerini, hücre göçü ve invazyonu üzerindeki inhibe edici etkilerini ve pro-apoptotik gen ekspresyonuna etkilerini değerlendirmektir. Hücre canlılığı MTT testi ile değerlendirilmiş, hücre göçü ve invazyonu scratch testi ile analiz edilmiştir. Pro-apoptotik gen ekspresyonundaki değişiklikler, sitotoksisite testlerinden elde edilen IC₅₀ konsantrasyonlarında değerlendirilmiştir. Sonuçlar, AOME ve AOEE’nin her iki hücre hattında doz bağımlı sitotoksisite indüklediğini göstermiştir. IC₅₀ değerleri PC3 hücreleri için 1,1×10⁻³ μg/mL (AOME) ve 11×10⁻⁵ μg/mL (AOEE), LNCaP hücreleri için ise 0,21×10⁻³ μg/mL (AOME) ve 0,45×10⁻³ μg/mL (AOEE) olarak bulunmuştur. Scratch testi analizleri, her iki ekstrenin de hücre göçü ve invazyonunu kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı şekilde engellediğini göstermiştir. Ayrıca, RT-qPCR analizleri, tedavi edilen hücrelerde pro-apoptotik gen ekspresyonunun anlamlı şekilde arttığını ve anti-apoptotik gen ekspresyonunun anlamlı şekilde azaldığını ortaya koymuştur (p<0,05). Bu bulgular, A. officinalis ekstrelerinin hücre canlılığını azalttığını, göç ve invazyonu engellediğini ve apoptosis’i teşvik ettiğini göstermekte olup, ekstrenin prostat kanseri üzerinde terapötik potansiyele sahip olabileceğini ve bu durumun kapsamlı moleküler çalışmalarla doğrulanması gerektiğini düşündürmektedir.

Keywords

• Althaea officinalis
• apoptoz
• prostat kanseri
• yara iyileşmesi

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