The methanol-ethyl acetate partitioned fraction from Chinese olive fruits inhibits cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth by promoting apoptosis through the suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway

Food Funct. 2016 Dec 7;7(12):4797-4803. doi: 10.1039/c6fo01202g.

Abstract

Chinese olives (Canarium album L.) have historically been used for medicinal purposes rather than commercially for oil. In this report, we reveal that the methanol-ethyl acetate partitioned fraction from Chinese olive fruits (MEO), of which ellagic acid accounted for 12%, exhibited profound anti-proliferative activities in the human colon cancer cell line, HCT116. Additionally, oral administration of MEO remarkably inhibited the tumor growth of subcutaneously implanted CT26 cells, a mouse colon carcinoma cell line, in BALB/c mice. Treatment with MEO induced a significant increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells and resulted in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage, suggesting that MEO inhibits cancer cell proliferation by promoting apoptosis. Our study also showed that MEO exerted the most potent effect on the inhibition of NF-κB-mediated signaling among the partitioned fractions from Chinese olives. This process employed the use of reporter-based bio-platforms that are capable of detecting the activation of NF-κB. In addition, phosphorylation of NF-κB signaling-associated proteins, IKKα/β, IκBα, and p65, was reduced in MEO-incubated cancer cells, indicating that MEO suppresses NF-κB activation. Moreover, MEO treatment significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cancer cell proliferation, demonstrating that MEO promotes cancer cell apoptosis through the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. In summary, our findings demonstrate that the methanol-ethyl acetate partitioned fraction from Chinese olive fruits inhibits cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth by promoting apoptosis through the suppression of NF-κB signaling. Therefore, the Chinese olive fruit has promising potential in cancer treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Acetates / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects*
  • Fruit / chemistry*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Magnoliopsida / chemistry*
  • Male
  • Methanol / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Random Allocation
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Acetates
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • NF-kappa B
  • Plant Extracts
  • ethyl acetate
  • Methanol