The Anti-Cancer Effects of Arborinine from Ruta graveolens L. on Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) Breast Cancer Cells: Inhibition of Cell Growth and Induction of Apoptosis

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BACKGROUND: Arborinine, a plant-derived alkaloid, has shown potential cytotoxic effects against various cancer cell lines. This study aims to evaluate the cytotoxicity and apoptosis effects of arborinine on breast cancer (Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7)) and human embryonic kidney (HEK293) as normal cell lines. METHODS: The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to assess the inhibitory concentration of 50% (IC50) after 24 and 48 hours of treatment of HEK293 and MCF-7 cell lines with arborinine. Apoptosis was evaluated through Annexin V/PI staining, and gene expressions including BAX, BCL-2, P53, PARP, and caspases (i.e., 3, 8, and 9) were analyzed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Additionally, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured using 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) fluorescence. RESULTS: The MTT assay results indicated a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability for both HEK293 and MCF-7 cells following treatment with arborinine. The viability of HEK293 cells decreased significantly (P=0.038) at concentrations above 150 µg/mL, while IC50 for MCF-7 cells was 50 µg/mL and 25 µg/mL for 24 and 48 hours, respectively. Annexin V staining revealed apoptosis rates of 9.36% in untreated MCF-7 cells, increasing to 52.3% post-treatment. Arborinine treatment upregulated pro-apoptotic factors, including BAX, PARP, and P53, while downregulating BCL-2. Additionally, arborinine increased ROS levels by approximately 1.3-fold and decreased glutathione (GSH) levels, while enhancing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. CONCLUSION: This study shows that arborinine reduces cell viability and induces apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by modulating key apoptotic pathways. Its effectiveness at lower concentrations in cancerous cells highlights its potential as a promising therapeutic agent in oncology.