Aim: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy and ranks sixth among cancers in women worldwide. Papain is a cysteine protease derived from Carica papaya, known for its antinflammatory, antimicrobial, and potential anticancer properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of papain on SK-UT-1B (uterine leiomyosarcoma) and Ishikawa (endometrial adenocarcinoma) cell lines.Material and Methods: SK-UT-1B and Ishikawa cells were treated with papain at concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 µM. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Immunofluorescent staining was performed to examine the expression of IL-13 and VEGF-A.Results: Papain exhibited dose-dependent antiproliferative effects by reducing cell viability at concentrations above 20 µM. The IC50 (the half-maximal inhibitory concentration) value of papain was 54.774 µM for SK-UT-1B cells and 43.982 µM for Ishikawa cells. Low, medium and high doses of 20, 40, 60 µM were determined for both cell lines; IL-13 and VEGF-A concentrations decreased significantly in the treated cells in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusions: These findings suggest that papain exerts antiproliferative and antiangiogenic effects in endometrial cancer cells by reducing cell viability and downregulating IL-13 and VEGF-A expression, supporting its potential as a promising anticancer candidate.Keywords: Papain, anti- cancer effects, endometrial cancer
Arı et al. (Sun,) studied this question.